1991 was a tragic year for Magic Johnson. Still playing some of the best basketball of his life, he was knocked out of the NBA Finals by Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Gearing up for another campaign, Magic Johnson was hit with terrible news. In a blood test conducted for insurance purposes, Johnson was diagnosed with HIV.
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Magic Johnson was forced to retire from the NBA. The stigma behind the disease was too strong. and many players were concerned Magic’s sweat could also transmit the virus.
However, despite his retirement, Johnson was still a legend of the game. His contribution was so substantial and the need to create awareness was so necessary that the NBA made him a member of the Western Conference squad. But in contrast to his command over the league before the diagnosis, Johnson found an air of fear hanging in the locker room.
Magic Johnson sensed the All’Stars avoiding touching him
At first, a lot of players were against Magic Johnson playing in the All-Star game. Charles Barkley supported Johnson after his diagnosis. But even he claimed it was unfair for a retired player to appear in the All-Star weekend.
Despite the silent protests and murmur, 6ft 9″ Magic ended up playing in the game. But when he entered the West’s locker room, he was met with some awkward glances and uneasy behavior.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson’s book When the Game Was Ours revealed:
” When he walked into the West locker room on AllStar Sunday, it was loaded with familiar faces: Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, Jeff Hornacek, Dikembe Mutombo, Dan Majerle, Hardaway, and Worthy. Yet something had changed. He was a visitor, not a regular. And, he feared, he was also a bit of a curiosity. After a decade of playing the role of the most dynamic personality in the room, suddenly Magic was the hesitant one. The salutations when he entered the room were cordial, but awkward. Nobody jumped up to embrace him, and only a couple of players offered a handshake. He was a guest at his own party. “Everybody was a little hands-off,” Magic conceded. “You could sense it.” “The tension was unmistakable,” David Robinson recalled. “It was a scary time. Players had gone behind Magic’s back to get him out of the All-Star Game. They were afraid. They didn’t know.”
Johnson played for the Dream Team in 1992
After his All-Star appearance, Magic Johnson eventually also featured on the Barcelona Olympic squad. He became part of arguably the greatest basketball team in history.
The Dream Team won the Gold Medal without breaking a sweat. It was ground-breaking that an HIV Positive athlete played for such a globally acclaimed and star-studded team. Team USA accepted him with open arms. The impact of their actions helped create a path to awareness.
