Two of the all-time legends in their respective sports of basketball and soccer will receive the highest civilian honor in the land. Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Lionel Messi will be among 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden during a Saturday ceremony at the White House.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is considered the highest civilian honor in the nation It is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States; world peace; or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.
Johnson, 65, who is known as the greatest floor general/point guard of all-time, who also put the NCAA tournament on the map in 1979, a five-time NBA champion, who made nine finals appearances with the Los Angeles Lakers in his 12-year career, has become a ground-breaking businessman and sports team owner. He was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. A two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he was enshrined in 2002 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Dream Team. He is a part of the ownership groups for MLB’s World Series Champions Los Angeles Dodgers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, the NFL’s Washington Commanders, Los Angeles FC in MLS and the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. His charitable work also supports underserved communities through his Magic Johnson Foundation. Since his retirement, Johnson has been the face for HIV/AIDS prevention.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, Messi, 37, the Argentine World Cup champion, is the most accomplished and decorated player in the history of professional soccer, seemingly putting a bow on his legendary career in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami. He has set countless individual records with eight Ballon d’Or awards and eight times being named FIFA’s world’s best player. He supports healthcare and education programs for children around the world through the Leo Messi Foundation and serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In his first full season with Inter Miami in MLS, Messi was named 2024 league MVP after scoring 20 goals and adding 16 assists in 19 matches, while his team set a league record with a 74-point campaign.
Embed from Getty ImagesHillary Rodham Clinton, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, U2 frontman Bono, actors Michael J. Fox and Denzel Washington, and popular science education host Bill Nye the ‘Science Guy’ are also receiving the honor.
Spanish chef José Andrés, entrepreneur and LGBTQ rights activist Tim Gill, world-renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, the Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein (new owner of MLB’s Baltimore Orioles), philanthropist George Soros, fashion icon and longtime Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, and American Film Institute founder George Stevens Jr. are also among the recipients.
Former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, civil and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, and former Michigan Gov. George Romney are posthumously receiving the honor.
“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else,” a statement from the White House said.
“These nineteen Americans are great leaders, who have made America a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.”
