On May 14, 1996, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson announced his permanent retirement from the NBA as a player, capping off an illustrious 13-year career that spanned in three different decades.
Johnson resumed his playing career in January 1996 after a four-year layoff while battling the HIV virus. He appeared in 32 regular-season games, averaging 14.6 points, 5.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes per contest.
The Lakers were 22-10 with Johnson back in the fold and ultimately secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Los Angeles was challenged with fending off the reigning NBA champion Houston Rockets, but were eliminated in four games.