Lakers Legend Magic Johnson Reflects on His Path to Accepting Son EJ’s Identity

January 6, 2026

This article was last updated by Pranaya Poudel on January 6, 2026

Magic Johnson’s emotional reunion with EJ marked a turning point in their relationship.

As a cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” era, Johnson revolutionized the point guard position with his extraordinary court vision and leadership.

Standing at 6’9″, he possessed a unique combination of size and skill that made him nearly unstoppable on the court.

Throughout his 13-year NBA career, Johnson accumulated an impressive array of accolades, including five NBA championships, three MVP awards, and 12 All-Star selections.

His rivalry with during the 1980s created some of basketball’s most memorable moments.

Johnson’s sudden retirement in 1991 due to his HIV diagnosis shocked the sports world.

But his courage in facing the diagnosis and becoming a prominent HIV/AIDS advocate transformed him from a sports icon into a broader cultural figure.

Magic Johnson Faced Challenges Embracing EJ’s Authenticity but Found Unwavering Love

Behind the basketball legend lies a deeply personal story of growth and acceptance.

In 2010, when Johnson’s son EJ , the NBA great faced one of his most significant personal challenges.

The journey wasn’t smooth initially – coming from a background in team sports, Johnson had different expectations for his son.

“When you grow up in team sports, you’re thinking, ‘Is he gonna play sports?’” Johnson reflected.

“And then when I saw that he liked dolls and to play dress-up… ‘What are you doing?'”

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EJ, who was 17 at the time, recalls his father’s initial struggle with acceptance, even implementing rules like “no scarves in the house” – a reflection of his discomfort with EJ’s expression of identity.

The tension was palpable in their Beverly Hills home during those early days.

However, the turning point came when Johnson visited EJ at NYU a few months later.

Their reunion was marked by an emotional embrace that EJ remembers vividly,

“He hugged me so hard – he was, like, squeezing all the air out of me. That’s when I knew, there’s nothing but love here.”

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Johnson’s evolution as a father mirrors his growth as a public figure.

Just as he had faced HIV with courage and transparency, he learned to embrace his son’s identity with the same openness.

“He changed me,” Johnson says of EJ.

“He was so proud. This dude here is just so proud of who he is.”

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The basketball legend’s wife, Cookie, played a crucial role in this journey, helping Johnson see the parallels between his own pride in who he is and his son’s authentic self-expression.

Today, Johnson stands firmly by his son’s side despite occasionally facing criticism.

“You get the other side too,” he acknowledges.

“A lot of people don’t love that I love my son.”

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But for Johnson, the choice is clear.

“As I grew older, as my wife talked to me, I couldn’t judge EJ. I had to accept who he was and who he wanted to be.”

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In Case You Didn’t Know

  • As part of the “Dream Team” at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game and was second on the team in assists with 5.5 per game, helping the team dominate with an 8-0 record and win by an average margin of 43.8 points.
  • In 1999, Johnson briefly ventured into European basketball, joining the Swedish team M7 Borås (now Borås Basket), where he remained undefeated in five games and even became a co-owner of the club, though the project lasted only one season.
  • After his initial retirement in 1991, Johnson created the “Magic Johnson All-Stars,” a barnstorming team that toured globally. They amassed an impressive 55-0 record, and Johnson earned up to $365,000 per game during these exhibitions.
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Vibhab Timsina is a content writer writing about popular culture topics, sports analysis, and keeping you up with recent internet trends. He is an avid sports fanatic and likes to keep up with various sports categories including Soccer, Formula 1, Tennis, Basketball, and more.

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