Inside Magic Johnson’s 1st Family Home Where He Lives with Wife of 31 Years after His Infidelity

Magic Johnson and his wife, Cookie Johnson, have overcome everything from infidelities to illnesses throughout their relationship and now live in a stunning Los Angeles mansion.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has been married to Cookie Johnson for over three decades, but their relationship has been far from perfect.

Luckily, they have managed to conquer all the obstacles that life has thrown their way. They have a beautiful family and several properties, including a mansion in Beverly Hills worth more than $20 million.

GETTING COLD FEET: TURNING COOKIE DOWN THREE TIMES

Magic and Cookie began dating during their first year at Michigan State University in 1977. Magic once revealed their first date was on her 19th birthday – January 20, 1978. However, things were not always easy.

In 1979, the Lakers drafted Magic in the first round of the NBA draft. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue his NBA dreams, but Cookie stayed in Michigan, determined to make a name for herself in the fashion industry.

They were in an on-and-off, long-distance relationship for 14 years but faced the first challenge only three months into their relationship when Magic was still a college student.

One day, Cookie went to his dorm and found a girl in a bathrobe and slippers looking like she was "his girl." The former NBA star has admitted that he was involved with several women before tying the knot with Cookie.

He even broke off their engagement three times before finally saying I do. During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Cookie revealed she was devastated when they broke off their first engagement. She was already planning the wedding, and everybody knew about it, so she felt publicly humiliated. Cookie said:

"'How do I show my face at work?' And after you've told everybody, it's like your whole world is crushed. At 26 […], you thought your whole entire world was crushed."

Magic and Cookie got back together but broke off their engagement twice again. At that point, Cookie had already bought her wedding dress and printed the invitations.

One of the most impressive home areas is Magic's man cave.

He refused to call off a pool party with his Lakers teammates on one occasion. Although those parties were men-only, they often invited some dancers and groupies.

Eventually, Cookie got tired of Magic's lack of commitment. After he tried to break off their engagement the third time, she told him, "It is now or never." They walked down the aisle in Lansing, Michigan, in 1991.

LAVISH LIFE: LIVING IN A $20 MILLION MANSION

One year before marrying Cookie, Magic bought a mansion in Beverly Hills for $2.3 million. Now, it is worth over $20 million. Saying that the couple's home is cozy would be an understatement.

A full-size tennis court, a pool in the backyard, an outdoor lagoon, and a grotto perfect for family reunions surrounds the 12,000 square-foot house.

The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom house also features a patio with a bar, a barbecue, and a fire pit in the backyard. One of the most impressive home areas is Magic's man cave.

He invited Winfrey over and showed her his trophies and huge basketball collection. Each ball represents one of his records, including assists, double-doubles, and triple-doubles.

The man cave also features his five championship rings. Magic admitted that the ring that had more value to him was when he and the Lakers won in 1985 because they beat the Boston Celtics.

Magic and Cookie's fans can get more glimpses of their mansion on their social media pages. In December 2021, Cookie uploaded a photo from her gorgeous kitchen.

A few weeks after tying the knot, Magic famously discovered he was HIV positive.

It features a high ceiling with glass-window cabinets and a round wooden table big enough to fit the entire family. Cookie has also shared images of her stunning mountain views.

In June 2020, Magic shared a photo posing with his family standing at the mansion's elegant staircase. Cookie and Magic have more than just one property, though.

The couple shares a 7,700 square-foot beach house in Southern California worth over $7 million. It has five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and everything a family would need to relax: a home theater, a wine cellar, an outdoor pool, and a deck with majestic views of the Pacific Ocean.

A few years ago, the Lakers legend owned a five-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion in Las Vegas that could pass as a theme park. It featured a game room, a two-lane bowling alley, a basketball court, a racquetball court, and batting cage, and so on.

MORE HARDSHIPS: HIV DIAGNOSIS

Not everything has been luxurious in Cookie and Magic's life. A few weeks after tying the knot, Magic famously discovered he was HIV positive. The couple was "scared to death," but she was determined to "beat this together." Cookie said:

"I didn't have time to get mad about whatever happened, or start asking questions. [My mind] went to 'He is possibly going to die.' There wasn't a lot of knowledge back in 1991."

When they learned about his diagnosis, Cookie was pregnant with their son, EJ Johnson. She was terrified that she or her son could have contracted the illness, too, but the test results luckily came back negative.

In 2001, Cookie and Magic separated again for two weeks. They kept the details of their split away from the spotlight. Over a decade later, she explained that they felt they were growing in two different ways.

While she was a full-time mom, Magic was building his business. Over time, his ego grew, and he was mainly focused on work.

When Magic got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he threw a party and danced with a group of girls. Cookie joined the dance floor to dance with him, but he was not interested.

They had a "spat in public" before leaving. At home, they separated upon realizing they were living in two separate worlds. They found their way back to each other two weeks later and have been together ever since.