Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 1983-85 era Game Worn & Signed and Inscribed Sneakers | Championship Season | Denver Nuggets Ball Boy Provenance

Given by Magic Johnson to Denver Nuggets Ball Boy

These sneakers were worn by Magic Johnson during the 1984-1985 Season. Both sneakers are also signed. The sneakers were given directly to the Denver Nuggets ball boy TJ Lewis by Johnson after a game at Denver’s McNichols Sports Arena.

Lewis recalled, “During the Lakers' 1984-85 championship campaign, Magic Johnson and the Showtime Lakers visited McNichols Sports Arena. After one of those games, I was extraordinarily fortunate to receive a pair of Magic's game-worn Converse sneakers. When I asked him to sign them, he did so with the same warmth and graciousness he extended to everyone around him."

In the 1984–85 season, Magic Johnson remained one of the league’s premier playmakers, averaging 18.3 points, 12.6 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game. Orchestrating the Lakers’ trademark fast-paced Showtime offense, he continued to be an offensive catalyst who pushed the tempo and elevated the play of his teammates. Magic earned another All-Star selection and helped guide Los Angeles to a 60–22 record, the best in the Western Conference. His leadership carried the Lakers through the postseason and into a third consecutive NBA Finals appearance, where they defeated their longtime rivals, the Boston Celtics, in six games, marking the first time the Lakers had ever beaten Boston in the Finals.

This lot is accompanied by a letter from James Spence Authentication in regards to the signatures and a letter of provenance from T.J. Lewis.

Going Deeper | Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson accomplished virtually everything a player could dream of during his storied 13-year NBA career.

The flashy centerpiece of the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers, Magic led his side to an unbelievable nine western conference titles over an 12-season span through the 80s and early 90s. Alongside fellow Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, he claimed five titles for the Lakers while securing NBA MVP and Finals MVP three times each.

Magic is famously associated with Converse Sneakers. First signed by Converse in 1979, perhaps Magic’s most significant contribution to the shoe world came with the Weapon, a huge part of basketball and sneaker history. Converse Weapons saw their debut during the 1986 All Star Break, first worn in the first-ever Three-Point Contest and then during the All Star Game, with Magic featuring heavily in its marketing campaigns. Thanks to campaigns like the “Choose Your Weapon” campaign and his famous commercial with Larry Bird, Magic and Converse have been etched into sneaker history.