Magic Johnson Instagram – My father and I would listen to all of Muhammad Ali’s fights on the radio when I was younger. I’m still shocked that one of my childhood heroes and favorite athletes became one of my good friends because there’s no one like Muhammad Ali. To be stripped of his heavyweight title, sentenced to time in prison, and exiled from boxing for three and a half years…and then come back, reclaim the heavyweight title in 1974 against George Foreman, and be BETTER than he was before is unheard of!! His strength, dedication, and passion showed both in the ring and in the community. He is a world icon. I’ll never forget watching him carry the Olympic torch and light the cauldron in the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta. Knowing everything he overcame during his career made it an even more emotional moment for me. Out of all our memories, what will always stand out to me was when Muhammad Ali told me to meet him in Chicago to tell me he wanted me to be more than just a basketball player. It challenged me to think beyond the court. Seeing his activism and advocacy for the good of humanity and the underserved with Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., US presidents, and more inspired me to create real change. It’s those moments and impact that cement him as my G.O.A.T. and will keep his legacy alive forever!!