This Day in History: br Magic Johnson br Announces He Has HIV November 7, 1991 Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson stunned the world by announcing his sudden retirement from the br Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson was one of the br first sports stars to go public br about his HIV-positive status. Revered as one of the br greatest basketball players br of all time, Johnson spent his entire br 13-season NBA career with the Lakers. He helped them to win br five championships in the 1980s. Today, Johnson is a successful businessman and prominent spokesman for AIDS awareness. He serves as an example of how a br variety of drug treatments have br transformed AIDS into br a manageable condition.