Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr., one of the greatest players in the history of NBA and the events that made his career even more than unforgettable.
In 1991 Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV and in a press conference held on November, he made a public announcement that he would retire immediately and dedicate his life to”battle this deadly disease”. Johnson’s HIV announcement became a major news story and was named as ESPN’s seventh-most memorable moment of the past 25 years.
Despite his retirement, Johnson was voted by fans as a starter for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game at Orlando Arena, although his former teammates argued that they would be at risk of contamination if Johnson suffered an open wound while on court. Johnson led the West to a 153–113 win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Johnson was chosen to compete in the 1992 Summer Olympics for the US basketball team, dubbed the “Dream Team” because of the NBA stars on the roster, and they dominated the competition. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game, his 5.5 assists per game was second best on the team. He received standing ovations from the crowd, and used the opportunity to inspire HIV-positive people.