Magic Johnson has said he contracted HIV through unprotected heterosexual sex with multiple partners, not through basketball or an accident. Reports on his diagnosis note that he later publicly explained the infection that way, after first saying he did not know how he got it.

Quick Scoop

  • He was diagnosed in 1991 after a routine medical exam and immediately announced he would retire from the NBA.
  • Early rumors speculated about his sexuality, but Johnson later clarified that the transmission was through unprotected sex with women.
  • He and his wife Cookie were expecting a child at the time of the announcement, and sources note she was not infected.

What’s known

At the time, HIV was widely misunderstood, and Johnson’s case became a major moment in public awareness about safe sex and testing. His announcement helped change how many people viewed the disease and the risk of heterosexual transmission.

Bottom line

The widely reported answer is: he contracted HIV through unprotected sex with multiple female partners.