Magic Johnson Reveals Michael Jordan Advised Him To ‘Think About Retiring’ After NBA Comeback Following HIV Diagnosis

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Staying in championship condition isn’t easy for a basketball star in their 30s. On Thursday night, Earvin “Magic” Johnson appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and looked back on his career, including his return to the NBA for 32 games in 1996.

The basketball legend had been retired for almost five years, after publicly revealing his diagnosis with HIV. READ MORE: New Documentary Will Give ‘Rare Glimpse’ Into NBA Legend Magic Johnson’s Life In his second game back with the Los Angeles Lakers, Johnson played the Chicago Bulls, who were on their way to becoming league champions, with iconic players like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. “They really showed me the difference between a championship team and a playoff team,” Johnson recalled. “They were a championship team, we were just a regular team.

And they played me so hard. They were physical, they pushed me around….” “They roughed you up,” Kimmel said. “Oh, no question about it,” Johnson laughed. READ MORE: Magic Johnson Says He Wanted To ‘Hit’ Howard Stern After His Comments About Race And AIDS In 1998 Interview He then revealed that Jordan actually had a talk with him at the game, giving him some advice that proved valuable. “Michael, after that game, he pulled me aside — I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody this,” Johnson shared. “He met me in-between the locker rooms, and he said, ‘Earvin, you have to remember now, you’re not with Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], you’re not with James Worthy.

All the guys you used to play with, Showtime, are not on that Laker team anymore. So remember, maybe you should think about retiring.” “What a sick person,” Kimmel laughed. “What a sick individual.” “But he was right,” Johnson admitted. “He was right.” He ended