In 1991, Earvin Johnson, better known as “Magic” retired from the NBA. Johnson shocked the world with this announcement and by disclosing his HIV-positive status. ESPN named Johnson’s announcement the seventh-most memorable moment of the previous 25 years. He held the record for assists with 9,981, and averaged 19.4 points, 12.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game in the 1990-1 season. Johnson was selected number one in the 1979 NBA draft and played 13 seasons as point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, twice more during the regular season and three times during the NBA Finals. After announcing his retirement, Johnson returned to play for the “Dream Team,” 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team which won the Olympic gold medal. Johnson was inducted into the hall of fame for his individual career in 2002 and as a member of the “Dream Team” in 2010. Johnson returned the Lakers as a coach in the 1993-4 season and later became president of the team’s basketball operations in 2017. Johnson is also known for his HIV and health activism; he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 and the was main speaker for the United Nations (UN) World AIDS Day Conference in 1999.
Today in Sports History: November 7
