Andre Johnson's Inspiring Journey Unveiled: The Untold Real-Life Story behind Winning Time Season 2

Summary

Winning Time season 2 depicts Magic Johnson's entry into fatherhood with his ex-girlfriend Rhonda, who is loosely based on Melissa Mitchell.

In the opening episode of Season 2 of Winning Time, the focus is on Magic Johnson's legal team's initial attempts to dismiss his son Andre. However, it is unveiled that Magic actually flew out specifically to visit Andre on the day of his birth. Throughout Andre's upbringing, Magic provided financial assistance and presented him with various business prospects, ultimately resulting in Andre ascending to an executive position at Magic Johnson Enterprises.

HBO's latest season of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty explores a fictionalized account of Magic Johnson's journey into fatherhood with his first child, Andre. Winning Time season 2 presents the early stages of Magic's experiences as a father, highlighting his interactions with his parents and the mother of his child, Rhonda. Prior to the premiere of Winning Time season 2, it was unclear who Rhonda was intended to represent based on Magic's real-life story. However, with the introduction of Andre's birth, it becomes apparent that Rhonda loosely resembles Magic's ex-girlfriend, Melissa Mitchell.

In the first episode of Winning Time season 2, Rhonda bestows the name Andre upon Magic's firstborn, which is one of the few historical accuracies found in this dramatized HBO series. This episode showcases Magic's legal team's initial attempts to dismiss the child completely, enabling him to maintain his focus on his status as a celebrity and his basketball career. In reality, despite no longer being together with Melissa in February 1981 due to a significant knee injury, Magic did indeed travel to meet Andre on the day of his birth.

2 Magic Johnson Helped Raise Andre Johnson & He Even Played Basketball

Despite prioritizing his basketball career and commitment to the Lakers, Magic Johnson managed to be a supportive father to Andre. He assisted Melissa in raising their son, providing financial stability for both of them as Andre grew up in Lansing, Michigan. While Magic wasn't consistently present during Andre's formative years, he still made an effort to not neglect his firstborn son. As Andre matured, Magic also offered him business opportunities.

Andre Johnson gained attention as a basketball player during his time at Waverly High School in Lansing. Many people were curious about the potential of Magic's son in the game, which created unrealistic expectations for Andre throughout his high school years. After his freshman year, Andre decided to transfer to Everett High School in Lansing. Despite being a decent guard, averaging twelve points and six assists per game, Andre chose to prioritize his academic pursuits at Everett over his basketball game.

1 Andre Johnson Became A Marketing Director At Magic Johnson Enterprises

After earning an associate's degree in business management from Santa Monica Community College, Andre wasted no time in gaining knowledge from his father's business ventures. With a successful NBA career behind him, Andre honed his skills as a savvy entrepreneur and became the owner of several franchises and businesses. His father, Magic Johnson, guided him not only on basketball crossovers but also on the art of business networking. Andre made a career shift in 2004, leaving his job at Elektra Records to join Magic Johnson Enterprises as the Vice President of Business Development until 2010. In 2022, he took on a new role as the Executive Vice President of Business Development at SwimWin Sports, while also co-hosting the podcast "Please Elaborate" with Mike Dupree. Despite his real-life accomplishments, in the fictional world of HBO's Winning Time, Andre is portrayed as a newborn baby.