Is Magic Johnson a Lions fan?
Yes. In his own words, Magic Johnson is a Detroit Lions fan.
Magic Johnson Full fan file: every team he roots for, with receipts
“Good luck to my Commanders as we compete against the team I grew up cheering for today, the Detroit Lions”
EssentiallySports, January 19, 2025. Backed by WDIV (ClickOnDetroit) (2025).
Last checked November 4, 2026: the quote still matched the page word for word.
What has Magic Johnson said about the Detroit Lions?
On January 19, 2025, EssentiallySports reported Magic Johnson's message ahead of that day's playoff game involving the Detroit Lions. He wrote: "Good luck to my Commanders as we compete against the team I grew up cheering for today, the Detroit Lions". In that message he said himself, in public, that the Lions are the team he grew up cheering for.
Did Magic Johnson grow up a Lions fan?
By his own account, yes. The same message describes the Lions as the team he grew up cheering for, and the timeframe is childhood, with the support still current in 2025. Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan, on August 14, 1959, and attended Everett High School in Lansing before playing at Michigan State from 1977 to 1979. Detroit is the Lions' home city, and a childhood spent in Michigan fits a childhood team there, though no source ties the two together directly.
His NBA career then took him to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played from 1979 to 1991 and again in 1996. He also played for Magic M7 Borås in 1999 and 2000 and for the Magic Great Danes in 2000. None of those moves is connected in any source to a change in his football loyalties toward Detroit.
Does Magic Johnson like the Detroit Lions?
WDIV (ClickOnDetroit) wrote on January 15, 2025: "Many people have also noted his support for the Lions over the years, often rooting for them online and referring to them as “my Lions.”" That backs up the January 2025 message with a pattern of public support over time.
Johnson is also reported to follow two other teams. The Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Rams are both listed as reported ties, which sits alongside the Lions rather than replacing them.
Which other athletes are Lions fans?
Three other players are listed as Lions fans. Devin Booker has said so in his own words. Charles Barkley and Josh Smith are reported as fans, meaning the claim comes from reporting rather than from the players themselves.
Questions people ask
Is Magic Johnson a Lions fan?
Yes. In January 2025 he wrote that the Lions are "the team I grew up cheering for."
When did Magic Johnson become a Lions fan?
His own words place it in childhood, and the support was still current in 2025.
Does Magic Johnson like the Detroit Lions?
WDIV (ClickOnDetroit) reported in January 2025 that many people have noticed his support over the years, including online posts calling them "my Lions."
Which other athletes are Lions fans?
Devin Booker has said it himself, and Charles Barkley and Josh Smith are reported as fans.