Magic Johnson may just have been the most charming athlete of the 80s. His charisma to impress anybody remains unparalleled. Naturally, his charm, combined with his ability to make friends, led him to one of the best talents in the league – Michael Jordan.
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Though Jordan came to the league in 1984, he couldn’t compare to the success of Magic Johnson in that decade. The 80s belonged to Magic, even more so than it did to his rival and friend Larry Bird.
And despite all of MJ’s skills, they had no chance of competing with the Lakers until 1989, when the Pistons finally dethroned them. But faced with such an overwhelming experience of winning, Michael quickly developed a camaraderie with Johnson.
To his credit, Johnson knew where Michael was headed and treated him with the respect he deserved. So, when the news first broke of Magic’s diagnosis, Michael was one of the first few to know and he was shocked by it.
Michael Jordan feared for Magic’s life
In the book Michael Jordan: The Life, Roland Lazenby detailed the first time Michael heard news of Johnson’s diagnosis. Johnson claimed in his own book When the Game Was Ours that Larry Bird and Michael Jordan were one of the first few to know.
He wanted to make sure they were prepared for the media after it became public. The book also revealed the impact it had on MJ, who was especially worried for his friend and rival.
Lazenby: “On November 7, 1991, while Jordan was at practice. Lon Rosen, Magic Johnson’s agent, phoned Bulls PR man Tim Hallam that morning. Rosen delivered to Jordan the same bad news that a small circle of the NBA elite had gotten. Magic Johnson would announce his retirement immediately that afternoon in Los Angeles because he had recently tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Stunned, Jordan gathered himself, then asked about his childhood hero, “Is he (Magic Johnson) gonna die?”
Bo Jackson! But really Magic Johnson was hitting his prime before the HIV! No way Jordan gets 6 rings if Magic’s career wasn’t cut short! I also I don’t know Bob Sanders? Did you mean Barry?
— Steve Clarkson (@steveclarkson) March 28, 2023
Magic Johnson has survived and become a beacon of hope
Johnson’s personality was such that even faced with the fear of a potentially deadly disease, he only chose to spread hope. He battled it all, and somewhere in his fight, he realized there were countless men, women, and children like him who needed ‘The Magic Johnson’ to tell the world their story.
Johnson too was fortunate, he was loved by a league that had become globally popular. He was friends with people whose popularity wasn’t defined by national boundaries. So, when Johnson took up the fight to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS, the world paid attention.
It’s been over 21 years since Magic’s diagnosis but he is healthy as ever. The stigma against HIV/AIDS, though not completely eradicated, has been diluted. Magic Johnson is healthy as ever. Living a life filled with happiness, supported by a legendary past, and a life that has been the most fulfilling, only made sweeter by the challenges.
