Earvin “Magic” Johnson is ready for his closeup.
Apple TV+ released the first trailer for They Call Me Magic on Saturday, a forthcoming project that will take a look at the illustrious life and career of Johnson, 62. The four-part series is scheduled to hit the streaming service on April 22.
Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, They Call Me Magic will give fans “a rare glimpse into the incredible real-life story of Johnson, who left his mark on history through his work — both on and off the court — and continues to impact our culture today,” according to a press release.
The docuseries examines Johnson’s rise to fame while becoming an NBA superstar and the face of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, including how he changed the conversation around HIV after contracting the virus in 1991. The series will also examine the basketball legend’s life, from his humble beginning in Lansing, Michigan, to his career today as a successful entrepreneur and community activist.
In the trailer, Johnson offers an intimate recollection of his life, alongside family members such as wife Cookie Johnson and son EJ Johnson, as well as a group of all-star friends, including Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Barack Obama.
After being drafted by the Lakers in 1979, Johnson won the NBA Championship and the Most Valuable Player Award during his rookie year. He went on to win four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s, as well as two more solo MVP recognitions.
David Sherman/NBAE via Getty
Johnson abruptly retired from the league after announcing that he was HIV-positive, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game where he was awarded the All-Star MVP Award.
After a four-year retirement, he returned to the court once again in 1996 to play 32 games for the Lakers. Johnson was a member of the “Dream Team,” which won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics.
RELATED: Magic Johnson on How He Treats Pain from ‘Many Years in the NBA’: ‘Your Body’s Going to Break Down’
He is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. First, he was enshrined as an individual player in 2002, and again in 2010 as a member of the Olympic “Dream Team.”
The release of They Call Me Magic will follow scripted series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty about Johnson and the Lakers in the ’80s, which is set to debut on HBO in March.
RELATED VIDEO: How Magic Johnson Revealed His HIV Diagnosis to His Wife
That 10-episode series is produced by Adam McKay and based on Jeff Pearlman’s book, Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Featuring stars like Quincy Isaiah, John C. Reilly, and Jason Clarke, Winning Time tells the story of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers — which featured Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and famed head coach Pat Riley — and the dynasty that followed.
RELATED: Quincy Isaiah Reveals How His ‘Can-Do Attitude’ Landed Him the Role of Magic Johnson in Winning Time
Earlier this month, Johnson told Entertainment Tonight that he “won’t watch” the scripted series, arguing that “it’s hard to duplicate” the team’s 1980s Showtime era on the screen without the input from those who were part of the storied group.
“First, on the court, I mean, we just did our thing, it was up and down,” Johnson told the outlet. “And then off the court — because unless you were a Laker, or you’re a Buss family [member] — because you can’t duplicate Dr. Jerry Buss — and the Laker Girls and Paula Abdul and what that meant, I mean, it started on the court and it went all the way up.”
