Magic Johnson has overcome a lot in his career, but he says the biggest thing till date has been his HIV diagnosis and staying alive 30 years later.
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Johnson was a force of nature when he played. In the 1990s, he took the Lakers back to the top of the NBA world alongside the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
They won five titles, and Johnson won three Finals MVPs. In his first Finals appearance, Magic filled in at center to fill the gap left by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s injury, and he dominated.
In game 6 of the 1980 Finals, Abdul-Jabbar was out with an ankle injury from the previous game, and so Magic took over at center. Just like LeBron, Magic feasted as he piled on 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists in a series clinching 123-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Magic Johnson explains how hard it’s been living with HIV and how happy he’s been with his success
In 1991, Magic made a startling announcement to the rest of the NBA world. He revealed that he had been diagnosed with HIV, the virus which causes AIDS.
Doctors and scientists knew far less about the virus back then than they do now, and there was a lot of concern about what that would mean for his life.
However, Magic has lived with the disease for 30+ years now thanks to modern medicine and treatment. Another problem with Johnson’s HIV diagnosis was the stigma behind it at the time. Many NBA players felt like they’d get infected if they played alongside Johnson which, of course, isn’t the case.
Now, things are much different, and Johnson is finding incredible success as a businessman. He’s built a $620 million net worth with smart investments and savvy business decisions. It’s something Johnson has acknowledged of being very proud of.
“On the court, the challenge was always to win more championships and beat my two biggest rivals, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. I was never able to beat Jordan in the Finals. We only met once, and he won,” Johnson said when asked about his biggest challenges.
“Off the court, it was to find out if I was going to be here 30 years after announcing that I was HIV positive. That has been the biggest challenge of my career, being here 30 years later, being able to make this documentary, and being successful as a businessman.”
So yes, Johnson has built up a crazy fortune, but for him, staying alive long enough to do so has been the crowning jewel of his life so far.
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