ESPN Films: 'The Announcement'

Film Summary

On Thursday, Nov. 7, 1991, Earvin "Magic" Johnson made people stop and watch at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. But this time it wasn't his basketball brilliance as a perennial NBA All-Star and three-time MVP that was captivating audiences worldwide. Instead, the 32-year-old groundbreaking point guard was holding a press conference to make the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. But the shock of this declaration went deeper. Having the AIDS virus in 1991 was widely seen as a death sentence, and the commonly held belief was that we would be watching a beloved sports hero die excruciatingly and swiftly in front of our eyes. Yet Magic had a different narrative in mind. He defied the odds, not just surviving, but truly living and prospering. From his MVP performance in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, his participation on the original Olympic "Dream Team" later that year and an NBA comeback in 1996, to his astounding success as a businessman, philanthropist and ambassador in the fight against AIDS, Magic has lived up to the promise of his nickname.

Some Background

With ESPN Films coming out with The Announcement, I thought I would write this. I grew up not really knowing my biological father. I’ve only seen him a handful of times in my life and don’t have very many memories of him. My first stepfather was physically abusive. My second stepfather was completely disengaged and lacked a backbone. In short, I never had a positive male role model growing up and was basically left to figure out life for myself while in a broken home and without any Christian influence. As you can imagine, my teenage years didn’t turn out so well.

1st Hero

I’ve mentioned often that young boys need heroes in their lives. My first hero was Magic Johnson. I remember how he, and Larry Bird, completely turned the NBA upside down. Magic’s teammates loved him because he was unselfish. He had charisma and a charm that captivated most of the world. Young boys at my middle school wore Magic shirts all the time, myself included. Magic was the man who first got me interested in the game of basketball.

Growing up and going to school in a rough neighborhood, basketball kept a couple close friends and me out of trouble. I started learning the lessons of life through wanting to become a good basketball player. It takes hard work to achieve anything of note. But you don’t have to step on other people to get to your goals. Magic achieved greatness by making his teammates better, by convincing them of their personal value to the team, and ultimately getting a group of individuals to work together as a singular unit. He was a leader. He was also the first person who made me want my life to actually mean something other than simply existing.

The Day I Thought My Hero Died

When Magic made his Announcement, it was my sophomore year in high school and I had just finished basketball practice. I noticed the coaching staff looked completely shocked. I looked around and asked, “What happened?” One guy on the team told me but I didn’t believe him. Then I went to one of my coaches and he confirmed the news. I went back into the team room, sat in the dark and wept for a couple of hours. I thought, “My hero was going to die.”

I remember the entire city of Los Angeles, and the entire sports world was in mourning. One of the most beloved sports figure of all time had to retire. I had to endure nonsense from high school friends saying, “Why are you so sad? You don’t even know him?” I never responded to pointless questions. There’s no reason to waste my time with ignorance.

Trial to Triumph

Through perseverance Magic Johnson turned something tragic into something triumphant. He educated the world on the subject of the HIV virus, which caused AIDS. Much of the world had ignorant ideas about HIV and AIDS. Not anymore. And it was because of Magic Johnson.

Reflections

Now that I’m older, I’ve often thought Magic didn’t really have to tell anyone he was HIV positive at the time. He could’ve said it was an injury and it was simply his time to retire. But he didn’t and for being transparent, he endured much ridicule and ignorant accusations. Maybe he felt that he owed it to us (fans) because we were like family to him. He was one of the few athletes who seemed to genuinely care about the fans.

Today, I have many heroes. People who are/were passionate about things of eternal value. People I actually know personally who have invested into my life. But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever forget my first hero and what he meant to me during a very dark time in my life. I don’t care if Kobe gets his sixth title (one more than Magic), Magic will always be, in my eyes, the greatest Laker of all time.

Magic Johnson makes me think, “Why doesn’t everyone love this game?” That’s just a snapshot of why I love this game. And if people still think I’m crazy for being so invested in a sport, I don’t have time for ignorance.