THROWBACKTHISDAY; Magic Johnson announces that he is infected with HIV and retires from the NBA.

 

On thisday November 7 1991 Johnson announces that his infected with HIV.  After a physical before the 1991–92 NBA season, Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV.

 

 

In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement that he would retire immediately.^[90] He stated that his wife Cookie and their unborn child did not have HIV, and that he would dedicate his life to "battle this deadly disease".^[90] Johnson initially said that he did not know how he contracted the disease,^[90] but later acknowledged that it was through having multiple sexual partners during his playing career.^[91] At the time, only a small percentage of HIV-positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex,^[77][92] and it was initially rumored that Johnson was gay or bisexual, although he denied both.^[77] Johnson later accused Isaiah Thomas of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied.^[62][93] Johnson's HIV announcement became a major news story in the United States,^[92] and in 2004 was named as ESPN's seventh most memorable moment of the past 25 years.^[10] Many articles praised Johnson as a hero, and former U.S. President George H. W. Bush said, "For me, Magic is a hero, a hero for anyone who loves sports."^[92]

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 Byron Scott and A. C. Green said that Johnson should not play,^[94] and several NBA players, including Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone, argued that they would be at risk of contamination if Johnson suffered an open wound while on court.^[95] Johnson led the West to a 153–113 win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.^[96] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson.^[97]

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.^[98] The Dream Team, which along with Johnson included fellow Hall of Famers such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Larry Bird, was considered unbeatable.^[99] The Dream Team dominated the competition, winning the gold medal with an 8–0 record, beating their opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game during the Olympics, and his 5.5 assists per game was second on the team.^[99][100] Johnson played infrequently because of knee problems,^[101] but he received standing ovations from the crowd, and used the opportunity to inspire HIV-positive people.

 

 

^{TBT; makes it 24 years and TBT blog remembers.}