Magic Johnson is most associated with Southern California, and rightfully so, as he once and forever defined Los Angeles Lakers mystique during the 1980s by leading them to five NBA championships as the leader of the Showtime era.
But he has never forgotten his roots. He is originally from Lansing, Mich., and he has always felt that everything he truly represents came from his family-oriented upbringing there.
This past weekend, the Legacy of Magic Gala was held by the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing to honor Johnson's impact on his hometown. One of the YMCA branches in Lansing is now named after him, and a number of people contributed to the event, including Jeanie Buss, Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, three of the Lakers' current minority owners. Jeanie Buss, of course,
is also the Lakers' governor.
The Hall of Fame point guard took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank everyone who got involved.
I want to personally thank everyone who contributed to the Legacy of Magic Gala hosted by the YMCA of Lansing this past weekend in Lansing, honoring my family and our impact in the city. It’s a true honor to have the YMCA I grew up in now be named after me and to have a beautiful…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 25, 2026
The six Buss siblings, of course, are currently embroiled in a tug-of-war regarding their collective 17.8% stake in the Lakers. The family had owned a majority share of the team since 1979, but last October, it sold most of that share to Mark Walter, leaving it with its current amount.
Earlier this month, Walter agreed to sell the stake he bought from the Busses to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. Just days ago, five of the six Buss siblings -- except for Jeanie Buss -- elected to sell all of their remaining portion of the franchise to Kushner and Iger. Jeanie Buss is opposed to that transaction, and it appears she is committed to putting up a fight.
She is reportedly open to a scenario where she would maintain at least 15% ownership of the Lakers in order to remain as their governor.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Magic Johnson thanks people after Lansing YMCA was named after him
