In 1994, the Magician bought a 4.5% stake in the Lakers by 10 million. How much is it worth selling now?

As the top giant in the NBA league, the Lakers have always been a legend in the minds of fans with their brilliant history and countless glory. And among the Lakers' brilliant galaxy, Magic Johnson is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling superstars. Not only did he lead the Lakers to create countless glory with his unparalleled talent and talent on the field, he also left a story of investment that was talked about with the Lakers after his retirement.

Although the Magician's career has only been 12 years, he is the undisputed first point guard in history. In the 1980s, the Magic led the Lakers to win the championship five times, were elected as the MVP in the Finals three times, and the MVP in the regular season three times, with countless honors and achievements. At the same time, he led the Lakers to create the "SHOW TIME" era, greatly improving the viewing of NBA games. It is no exaggeration to say that the Magic's contribution to the NBA and the Lakers has long exceeded that of basketball itself. In 1994, Lakers owner Jerry Buss made a decision that shocked the league. He sold 4.5% of the Lakers' shares to the Magic Johnson, who had just retired for $10 million. This move caused a lot of sensation at the time. After all, the NBA is a business world after all, and the boss sells shares to his employees, which is extremely rare in the league. As time goes by, how much is the 4.5% Lakers shares in the hands of the Magician now worth? According to Forbes, the Lakers' market value in the 2024-25 season was $7.1 billion, ranking third in the league, second only to the Warriors and the Knicks. Based on this market value, the 4.5% stake that Magic Johnson spent $10 million to buy was now worth as high as $319.5 million. It has to be said that this is an astonishing return on investment. In 27 years, US$10 million has increased by nearly 32 times.

But surprisingly, the Magician did not always hold this stake. In 2013, he resold 4.5% of his Lakers shares to Chinese-American businessman Huang Xinxiang for $50 million. Magic Johnson's decision also made many fans feel sorry for him. After all, if he can continue to hold it, his current income will be hundreds of millions.

Having said that, even if you don't continue to hold stakes in the Lakers, the Magic are still one of the richest players in the NBA. After retiring, the Magician devoted himself to the business world with the wealth and connections accumulated during his time as a player. He has made great achievements in many fields such as real estate, catering, and sports. His value has long exceeded US$1 billion.

From this investment, we can see the magician's excellent business acumen. At the peak of his career, he had already begun to plan for his future, and this vision also allowed him to enjoy the benefits of basketball after retirement.