Trailer: The Announcement

On Nov. 7, 1991, the eyes of the world turned to The Forum for reasons other than basketball. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the perennial NBA All-Star and three-time MVP held a press conference in the same building he led the Lakers to five NBA championships to announce he was HIV-positive. Now 20 years later, ESPN Films and NBA Entertainment look back at a moment that stunned the world with The Announcement, a documentary you will not want to miss.

“Was I scared? No question about it I was scared,” says Johnson. “I wasn’t scared to announce it; I wasn’t scared of the media. What I was scared of is… would I see them again?”

Directed by Nelson George, The Announcement is narrated by Magic himself, providing a unique perspective by telling the story in his own words. The documentary also contains riveting insights from the people closest to him including his wife Cookie, son Andre, longtime rival and friend Larry Bird, Lakers teammates James Worthy and Kurt Rambis, former Lakers general manager Jerry West, and longtime friend and agent Lon Rosen. NBA Commissioner David Stern, Hall of Famer Karl Malone, and close friends Chris Rock and Arsenio Hall also share their memories of that time and insights on the character of the man who put a new face on HIV and AIDS.