what year magic johnson retired?
1991
entailment
 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 . 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 " . Johnson initially said that he did not know how he contracted the disease , but later acknowledged that it was through having multiple sexual partners during his playing career . At the time , only a small percentage of HIV @-@ positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex , and it was initially rumored that Johnson was gay or bisexual , although he denied both . Johnson later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading the rumors , a claim Thomas denied . Johnson 's HIV announcement became a major news story in the United States , and in 2004 was named as ESPN 's seventh @-@ most memorable moment of the past 25 years . 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 . " 

entailment
 On February 22 , 2007 , at the Austin Convention Center , Johnson had a heart attack and collapsed at the end of the Toros ' practice . After being rushed to a nearby hospital , he could not be revived and was later pronounced dead . Johnson was survived by his wife and his children . Johnson 's death was met with shock throughout the NBA . Among others , contemporary Celtics colleague Danny Ainge called him one of " the most underrated players of all time [ ... ] and one of the greatest Celtics acquisitions " , and one @-@ time rival Bill Laimbeer called him " a great player on a great ballclub " . 

entailment
 Earvin " Magic " Johnson Jr . ( born August 14 , 1959 ) is an American retired professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) for 13 seasons . After winning championships in high school and college , Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers . He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season , and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s . Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV , but returned to play in the 1992 All @-@ Star Game , winning the All @-@ Star MVP Award . After protests from his fellow players , he retired again for four years , but returned in 1996 , at age 36 , to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time . 

entailment
 After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs , Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the 1996 – 97 NBA season , but he also talked about joining another team as a free agent , hoping to see more playing time at point guard instead of power forward . A few days later Johnson changed his mind and retired permanently , saying , " I am going out on my terms , something I couldn 't say when I aborted a comeback in 1992 . " 

entailment
 Since his retirement , Johnson has been an advocate for HIV / AIDS prevention and safe sex , as well as an entrepreneur , philanthropist , broadcaster and motivational speaker . His public announcement of his HIV @-@ positive status in 1991 helped dispel the stereotype , still widely held at the time , that HIV was a " gay disease " that heterosexuals need not worry about ; his bravery in making this announcement was widely commended . Named by Ebony Magazine as one of America 's most influential black businessmen in 2009 , Johnson has numerous business interests , and was a part @-@ owner of the Lakers for several years . Johnson also is part of a group of investors that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014 . 
