LOS ANGELES — On Jan. 30, 1996, the Great Western Forum erupted as Earvin “Magic” Johnson played his first NBA game since retiring more than four years earlier due to an HIV diagnosis.
Johnson, then 36, began the night on the bench while Nick Van Exel handled point-guard duties. Midway through the first quarter, head coach Del Harris summoned the Hall of Famer, drawing a prolonged standing ovation from the sellout crowd.
The Los Angeles Lakers carried a 72-63 lead into halftime of the fast-paced matchup with the Golden State Warriors. Golden State countered with All-Star guards B.J. Armstrong and Latrell Sprewell, but Los Angeles widened the margin to 13 points by the end of the third period and never surrendered control.
Johnson finished with 19 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes, helping the Lakers secure a 128-118 victory. Despite being away from professional basketball since November 1991, the five-time champion displayed familiar court vision and playmaking flair.
After the comeback game, Johnson appeared in 31 additional contests that season, starting nine, before retiring for a second and final time.
Source: Lakers Nation
