The man who shared the floor with Magic Johnson

History · Published 5 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before the 'Showtime' era became a global phenomenon, Norm Nixon was already one of the NBA's elite playmakers. A two-time All-Star and two-time champion, his career was defined by high-level efficiency and a strategic trade that paved the way for basketball history.

Norman Ellard Nixon, known as "Stormin' Norman," was a cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers during the dawn of their legendary Showtime era. Drafted in the first round in 1977 with the 22nd overall pick, Nixon provided elite ball-handling and scoring. He secured NBA championships in 1980 and 1982, the latter of which saw him lead the Lakers in playoff scoring with an average of 20.4 points per game.

Despite his individual success, Nixon's tenure in Los Angeles was complicated by the arrival of rookie Magic Johnson in the 1979–80 season. While some analysts suggested Johnson should play forward, he was moved to point guard, forcing Nixon to share play-making responsibilities. Remarkably, Nixon still averaged at least seven assists per game during his four years sharing the court with Johnson.

The dynamics of the Lakers changed significantly prior to the 1983–84 season when general manager Jerry West traded Nixon to the San Diego Clippers. The move was designed to free Johnson from the burden of sharing the ball. Nixon responded by leading the NBA in total assists with 914 during his first year with the Clippers, earning his second All-Star selection in the 1984–85 season.

Nixon's career was marked by both incredible durability and sudden misfortune. Before his injuries, he appeared in 715 of 725 available games during his first nine seasons. However, a series of setbacks, including a knee injury from a softball game in 1986 and a ruptured Achilles tendon in 1987, eventually forced his retirement at the end of the 1988–89 season.

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