Two-time NBA champion alongside Magic Johnson — the underappreciated backcourt partner of the Showtime Lakers.
Norman Ellard Nixon was born in Macon, Georgia in 1955 and attended Duquesne University. Los Angeles Lakers selected him 22nd overall in the 1977 NBA Draft. His 12-season career produced 17.1 points and 8.3 assists per game along with two All-Star appearances. He was the starting point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers during his first two Showtime championships (1980, 1982) — averaging 17.8 points and 9.5 assists per game in his final championship season. His role diminished after the arrival of Magic Johnson as the primary ball-handler and he was traded to the Clippers in 1983. He led the NBA in assists in 1982. His combination of scoring — 22.8 points in 1982-83 for the Clippers — and playmaking made him one of the better starting point guards of the late 1970s and early 1980s. He married actress Debbie Allen in 1984. His career is frequently discussed as an example of a quality player whose legacy was complicated by playing alongside Magic Johnson — a contemporary whose greatness overshadowed very good players around him.
Showtime Lakers point guard, NBA championships
How They Played
Quick, athletic point guard with excellent court vision
Lasting Impact
Key facilitator of Lakers' Showtime era alongside Magic Johnson
NBA Champion 2x (1980, 1982)
Career Honours
- NBA Champion 2x (1980, 1982)
- All-Star 2x