The Los Angeles Lakers franchise had never been the same since Magic Johnson announced his official retirement. Following the public reveal of his HIV diagnosis, Johnson decided it was time to step away from the NBA in order to battle the virus in his body.
Thus, the Lakers saw their star playing retire during the prime of his career, during an unexpected twist that had taken the NBA by storm. Johnson was never the same away from basketball, dealing with a world he wasn’t familiar with and a changed perspective on life.
While he couldn’t play, Johnson missed the game dearly for a number of years before the status quo would change.