Businessman and former NBA star Magic Johnson has been married to his wife, Earlitha “Cookie” Johnson, since 1991, but had a child with his ex-girlfriend Melissa Mitchell. Details about his love life explored.
Magic Johnson, one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association history led the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships.
He played point guard for the team for 13 seasons and won five NBA Championships in the years: 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988.
In 2023, Forbes Magazine declared NBA Hall of Famer Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson a billionaire. His financial status makes him the 4th athlete to become a billionaire in the world.
Aside from basketball career, he has made insane wealth from businesses and investments.
Following his billionaire status, fans want to know more about his personal life, like, who he is married to and more about his dating history. Keep reading for more.
Who is Magic Johnson married to?
Magic Johnson has been married once in his lifetime to his spouse, Earlitha “Cookie” Johnson.
The couple tied the knot when they were both at the age of 32. Their intimate nuptial took place in Lansing, Michigan — Magic’s hometown — on September 14, 1991.
Magic and Cookie during college at Michigan State University in the late ’70s. Magic, a freshman, was already a well-known local athlete when the two crossed paths at a party on campus before Christmas break.
“I never asked her to dance,” he said in his 2016 interview with PEOPLE. “I just watched her dance, and I said, ‘I’ve got to get to know that woman.'”
Before leaving the party, he asked for her number and called her consistently throughout the break. They began dating when school resumed the following semester.
Their road to the altar was not an easy one, though. Throughout their decades-long relationship, Magic and Cookie broke up and reconciled several times before Magic proposed.
He almost broke off the engagement as well because he had some hesitations and doubts about marriage. Cookie opened up about the difficult moment in his 2022 Apple TV+ docuseries They Call Me Magic. She recalled telling him: “Well, you know, after all we’ve been through, that’s not … I can’t do that. So, if you’re gonna break the engagement, we’re breaking up.”
Magic and Cookie were able to work through their differences and have now been happily married for over 30 years. The NBA star celebrated their 32nd anniversary with a sweet Instagram Reel showing photos of the couple over the years.
“Today and for many years to come, I celebrate my wife of 32 years, Cookie Johnson on this very special anniversary,” Magic captioned the post.
“I appreciate your everlasting love and encouragement you give me each and every day,” he added.
When Magic and Cookie went on break, he moved on and went into a relationship in which he fathered his first child. The name of his ex-partner is Melissa Mitchell.
Who is Magic Johnson’s wife Cookie?
Cookie Johnson is the spouse of entrepreneur and NBA legend, Magic Johnson. The pair are one of the most recognizable couples in Hollywood.
The NBA star and entrepreneur have been together off and on for over 40 years, making them one of the rare couples in Hollywood that have had a long-lasting relationship despite trials and tribulations.
She was born on January 20, 1959, the same year as her husband, in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.
Her real name is Earlitha Kelly but adopted her husband’s surname and also under the pen name of Cookie.
Cookie is a businesswoman with a net worth of nearly $50 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Cookie was previously a college basketball player and later became a successful businesswoman.
She has designed her clothing line, CJ by Cookie Johnson, for women with figures like hers, seeking clothes to fit them just right.
She and Magic also founded the Magic Johnson Foundation to develop and fund programs geared at preventing HIV/AIDS.
Cookie serves on the organization’s board of directors.
How many children do Magic and Cookie have?
Magic and Cookie have two children together.
Earvin III “EJ” Johnson, 29, is openly gay and a star on the reality show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.
In 1995, the couple adopted Elisa Johnson, now 27.
Magic does, however, have a third child, Andre Johnson, 41, whom he fathered with Melissa Mitchell before he was married to Cookie.
Who is Melissa Mitchell, Magic Johnson’s ex-girlfriend?
Melissa Mitchell is the ex-partner of businessman and ex-NBA star Magic Johnson.
Mitchell and Magic’s story is best told in season 2 of ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty‘, the story of Magic Johnson and the LA Lakers basketball team of the 1980s as they embark on an era of dominance in the NBA.
In the show, Melissa’s role was played by Rhonda Mitchell and fans show she was introduced as a friend of Earletha “Cookie” Kelly. However, Rhonda and Magic hook up after an LA Lakers game, resulting in Rhonda getting pregnant. She gives birth to Magic’s first son in the second season. Rhonda is very loosely based on Melissa Mitchell, the real-life mother of Magic Johnson’s first child.
In reality, Magic and Melissa Mitchell had a brief affair sometime around 1980, leading to the birth of their son, Andre Johnson, in 1981. However, little is known about the nature and extent of Melissa’s relationship with Magic, and they eventually parted ways.
Who are Melissa Mitchell’s parents and siblings? Melissa is the daughter of Charles Mitchell and Elinor Dungay. She has two brothers and a sister and was raised in Lansing, Michigan.
Following the birth of Andre, Melissa reportedly raised him in Michigan. However, Melissa Mitchell appears very private and has chosen to remain outside the limelight. Therefore, it is likely that the makers chose to fictionalize her story using Rhonda to avoid any legal repercussions. Melissa is married and has adopted her husband’s last name, “Dukes.”
She maintains a social media presence under the name Melissa Mitchell Dukes but isn’t active on any of the platforms.
According to The Cinemaholic, Melissa reportedly works at Sky Packing Material and resides in Lansing, Michigan.