"If I was bisexual or gay, I would come out" - Magic on the gossip that surrounded him after contracting the HIV virus

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"If I was bisexual or gay, I would come out" - Magic on the gossip that surrounded him after contracting the HIV virus originally appeared on Basketball Network.
When Magic Johnson announced in 1991 that he was HIV-positive, the whole world was in shock. One of the biggest basketball players in history was dealing with a serious medical situation that no one knew enough about, and they could only assume the worst.
However, amidst people feeling sorry for Magic, a good chunk of the media and people criticized Johnson. Due to his peculiar and flashy style of living, Earvin got blasted, as certain people claimed the point guard got what he deserved. Also, due to the disease being most common among gay men, naturally, rumors arose about the sexuality of the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar.
However, in the infamous 1992 ABC interview, Magic reacted to those speculations and explained his point of view.
"First of all, if I was bisexual or gay, I would come out, but that's just not me. People out here they play with me, they play against me, they all know that. Because we all ran together, we all hung out together. So, no way that Magic Johnson can be bisexual or gay, and not everybody knowing it. There's just no way," Earvin dismissed the rumors.
Magic was the ultimate "player"
Being the star of the most popular franchise in the NBA under the bright lights of Los Angeles made Johnson the man in the city. When you mix in the charisma and the million-dollar smile, Earvin is the perfect example of a womanizer who can do whatever he wants.
When asked if it was wrong for a married man to sleep around, Johnson was honest in retrospect, but he was man enough to admit that he wasn't able to withstand the lure of the attention fame was giving him. Aside from being just plain wrong, it led to his health troubles, which Magic could admit.
"Morally, it is wrong, it's easy for me to sit here and say that now. But you know I lived the bachelor's life, the Hollywood life where a lot of women came my way," Johnson explained the challenge of staying loyal as an NBA star.Johnson used this as an opportunity to teach
Thankfully, thanks to the early detection, supreme medical care, and ART therapy, Johnson has prevented the progression of the disease and has lived a healthy life for 30+ years now. While it was challenging and shocking at the moment, Earvin used the situation to raise awareness and show others how you can deal with HIV or straight out prevent it.
Johnson's friend Louise Gossett Jr. thought it was God's doing and his way, using Magic to help educate people around HIV.
"Magic is a young, in-shape, major athlete -- and he's only the tip of the iceberg. ... It's the natural thing, for young jocks of all colors to womanize," the Oscar winner told The Washington Post in '91.
"But if you look at the Higher Power, you think that God may have said, 'We have a problem here with morals. It's time to get a little more serious.'... Magic serves a great purpose. ... He will teach some to say, 'If you have to, use a rubber,'" he added.
Nowadays, Magic is the best example and leading advocate of dealing with HIV and how you can avoid it or live with it, put into the situation. While it affected his career and life in a damaging manner, Johnson had the willpower to pull something positive out of it.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.