Magic Johnson On Retirement: 'If I Knew What I Know Now, I Wouldn't Have Retired' (VIDEO)

During a sit down with Bill Plashke of the Los Angeles Times, Magic Johnson opened up about his basketball career, and even expressed regret over retiring immediately after he learned that he had contracted the HIV virus.

"If I knew what I know now, I wouldn't have retired," he said.

Johnson's sudden retirement announcement in the fall of 1991 remains one of the most shocking moments in sports history.

During the interview with Plashke, Johnson also expressed the betrayal he felt when some of his fellow players expressed an unwillingness to play against him.

"I had just played with these guys at the Olympics," Johnson said. "Then I get back home and said I'm coming back to the NBA and the same guys that I went to war with in the Olympics came out and said 'No, I think I'm going to get HIV.'"

Johnson played in the NBA for 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall Of Fame in 2002.

Video via the Los Angeles Times.

(WATCH VIDEO AT TOP)

Comments

[MakersMark]

11:15 AM on 08/09/2011

He did the right thing retiring when he did. During that time, people didn't know that much about the aids virus, playing with or against him would have been difficult.

[socialtalker]

11:30 AM on 08/08/2011

will folks PLEASE READ AND LISTEN BETTER, the phase "my biggest regret is" was not used by magic johnson, that phase is running thru your heads, but its not in reality. please stop preaching what he should have said his biggest regret should have been, as of this interview, we dont know what that is.

[Kiffanik]

10:25 AM on 08/07/2011

His regret should've been taking someone else's un-verifiable word that he was sick with a virus that can't be isolated or even fully identified since it's supposedly a reto-virus. The researchers involved initially are now saying they may have overblown this since AIDS is an umbrella name for 31 illnesses people have always gotten now attached to a virus whose diagnosis varies by test and location. When you can have a disease in the US you dont have in the UK shouldn't you be suspicious? I'm boggled we still don't know to always follow the money. Magic is fortunate he could afford doctors who gave him treatment options beyond the full body radiation that is AZT.

[lacy41]

06:46 PM on 08/06/2011

I thought he was going to apologize for his endorsement of Hilary Clinton! What a huge ego and who cares?

[MilesLong]

09:28 AM on 08/07/2011

You did...

Miles "Grasp Of The Obvious" Long

[trthsetsfree2]

09:52 PM on 08/05/2011

Hindset is 20/20. However at the time, with lack of knowledge of the HIV/AIDS Virus, his basketball playing associates were correct to be cautious about playing with him. I think he erred on the side of caution and did the right thing by retiring .

[mhyoung357]

06:37 PM on 08/07/2011

I agree!

[trthsetsfree2]

10:23 AM on 09/01/2011

Thank you!

[sthompsonramm]

05:31 PM on 08/05/2011

I didn't know Magic was in the war.

[bahkey]

11:12 AM on 08/05/2011

Biggest regret? telling everyone that he and bird were in the sam league as jordan. jordan was bigger than the league between 1986- 1997.

[bryen23]

03:49 PM on 08/05/2011

are you smoking crack?? Magic and Bird saved the NBA for Michael to play in.. Before their rivalry, The NBA Finals were not 'The Finals' and it was shown on tape delay.. MJ owes almost everything to Magic and Bird.. What do Larry Bird, Dr. J, Isaiah Thomas, and Michael Jordan all have in common.. They all had to beat Magic's team to win a ring... And Magic still has 5 of them..

[bahkey]

07:01 PM on 08/05/2011

lolololol, m.j. owned magic. the only reason bird got so much credit,they needed a white boy to represent. hell worthy owned Bird and Mchale in the playoffs, when it really counted. scott owned Ainge, Kareem was unstoppable for years,cooper clamped down on d.j.,but magic got all the credit. funny thing is i've been a big laker fan since around 68-69 because of West,(W.VA.),goodrich,jim McMillon ,Wilt,Hairston, Erickson,and Pat Riley. all the guys you mention wasn't a hill of beans to Jordan,he just had to say so for public image for David Stern,who begged M.J. to come back.

[Graham Henry]

09:05 AM on 08/05/2011

This is such a necessity today. I will not say where these racial remarks happen, but it truly blows me away to hear them and the places that I hear them.
I have said to them, I thought you dinosaurs were all gone by now. Sorry to say Nope.
There is hope and I have seen it personally from my family.
We were told that blacks (the n word) were not wanted in this particular place. I told my teenage grandaughter and her friends about that, (now hear this) WHY they said, I explained and they just shook their heads in bewilderment. I said to them, "There is Hope afterall"

[iAREamerica]

01:55 AM on 08/05/2011

I thought the major regret was having unprotected sex with Isiah Thomas.

[Frank FisherLove]

04:05 AM on 08/05/2011

Not with "Isiah Thomas? but probably "unprotected" period. That would be MY biggest regret if I was in his shoes...His life didn't turn out so bad, actually, just that one thing, being HIV positive, because of one or maybe several discrepancies...

[MinneMike]

08:14 PM on 08/04/2011

It was tough watching Magic end his career when he did. He was tremendous.

[Keyop]

07:32 PM on 08/04/2011

Not wearing a condom?

[Rush Baby]

08:16 PM on 08/04/2011

I know.. come with the poor me attitude...His biggest regret should have been Getting AIDS.. What a stupid comment.
ff

[Bike Commuter]

11:18 PM on 08/04/2011

You must be talking about your own comment. Because Johnson didn't say it was his biggest regret. He didn't even call it a regret. He was asked if, looking back today, he would have still retired, and he said no.

[Golden rod]

11:55 PM on 08/05/2011

He was HIV positive. Did not and does not have AIDS.

[bulbusone]

07:31 PM on 08/04/2011

... biggest regret? I shoulda worn a raincoat........

[D Moon]

07:27 PM on 08/04/2011

Too many people make comments to try to be funny. This interview is about his basketball career, not his personal life. His biggest regret of his BASKETBALL CAREER is retiring early.

[Bike Commuter]

07:51 PM on 08/04/2011

He didn't even say that was the biggest regret of his basketball career. He was asked about how difficult the decision was to leave and whether he would still do it looking back. In fact, I didn't hear the word regret get mentioned at all.

[Boli Atepa]

07:24 PM on 08/04/2011

Magic would have done exactly the same thing if a colleague had HIV in those days. Little was known about the disease and everyone was scared. Was there any family member who avoided him? You bet there was! It was no betrayal, rather the survival instinct in everyone at play.

[Kid Notorious]

06:35 PM on 08/04/2011

Yeah... Pretty sure your biggest regret should be the rawdogging of all those NBA groupies in the 80's...

Sorry bro, not buying...

[WendellPerrySociety]

06:47 PM on 08/04/2011

Why he got more tail than you will ever see and still has a great life.

[Kid Notorious]

07:10 PM on 08/04/2011

Except I get to still have unprotected sex! Quality over quantity my friend!

[D Moon]

07:25 PM on 08/04/2011

Except the Interview was about his basketball career and the regrets he had with his basketball career.........not his personal life.

Sorry bro, posting fail.