NBA legend Magic Johnson is an avid social media user when it comes to talking about sports, but this time around he had to address something other than the game to his followers.
For the past week, there has been a picture circulating around of Johnson getting his blood drawn. A troll account grabbed the picture and put in the caption “Earlier today, NBA legend Magic Johnson donated some of his blood to the Red Cross to help underprivileged communities help fight COVID-19.”
The reason there was initially so much buzz around the tweet is because Johnson has HIV.
On Aug. 23, Johnson cleared his name on Twitter, and denied rumors of him donating his blood. “I’m aware of the false story circling the internet, and to be clear, I have never donated blood,” Johnson tweeted.
I’m aware of the false story circling the internet, and to be clear, I have never donated blood.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 23, 2022
According to the Associated Press, the image of Johnson dates back from a 2012 documentary called “Endgame: AIDS in Black America.” The picture was taken from a scene where Johnson’s physician is drawing blood during a routine visit.
In 1991, Johnson made headlines when he announced that he had tested positive for HIV and he would be retiring from the NBA. Since then, Johnson has become an advocate for HIV awareness, treatment, and prevention.
