Wild Ovation Greets Magic at Lakers Game

The pent-up sorrow, anguish and love that admirers of Earvin (Magic) Johnson have harbored since he quit pro basketball 11 days ago because of the AIDS virus were unleashed Sunday night when Johnson attended his first Los Angeles Lakers game as a retiree.

Johnson, back from a week’s vacation on Maui, received an emotional two-minute standing ovation when he made a dramatic, unannounced entrance at the Forum in Inglewood as the Lakers’ starting lineup was being introduced for a game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Before the game, in another reflection of Johnson’s impact, his agent said the Magic Johnson Foundation, which Johnson created to support AIDS research, education and care, has already received more than $500,000 in unsolicited contributions. The foundation has received tens of thousands of letters, many with contributions, including $1.50 from a girl who said she had sent her allowance.

With the exception of a taping before a television studio audience, Sunday night’s appearance was Johnson’s only exposure to his fans since he announced Nov. 7 that he had tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS, and would no longer play professionally.

“It’s great to see him. It really was. It’s good he’s not ashamed he made a mistake,” said Dareise Major of Los Angeles.

“In my heart, I told God to send him here so he can feel the warmth from the crowd and the fans,” said another spectator, Diana Aldredge of Los Angeles.

Johnson’s presence was important because “it shows that he’s still alive,” said Eric Young of Montclair. “Everybody’s treating the poor guy like he’s dead already.”

Hardly.

Watching the game from the Lakers’ bench, the dark-suited Johnson responded with customary adrenaline, leaping, hand-slapping and shouting to his former teammates and often yelling advice at timeouts. The Lakers won, 111-89.

“I thought he was going to take it easy. He’s going to have more strain on the bench than on the court,” said a fan, Scott Pugh of West Los Angeles.

During their ovation, fans waved programs and paper cups. As the applause reached its crescendo, a beaming Johnson began clapping his hands, returning the applause as a gesture of thanks. He pointed several times in general acknowledgment toward various sections of the crowd, then took a seat on the Lakers’ bench next to the coaches.

Since Johnson announced his retirement, the Lakers’ pregame radio call-in show has at times resembled group therapy as fans and Laker announcer Chick Hearn grope with the forced departure of the team’s charismatic leader.

“The Lakers won’t be the same, the league won’t be the same. Nothing will be the same,” Hearn commiserated with one caller Sunday night. “But life goes on.”

A half an hour later, watching the ovation, Hearn said: “Geez, if this don’t make you cry, nothing will.”

Johnson’s agent, Lon Rosen, said Johnson is scheduled to meet with several physicians today and will release a medical update on his condition today or Tuesday.

Rosen said Johnson, who on Friday formally accepted the White House’s offer to fill a vacancy on President Bush’s National Commission on AIDS, plans to go “on the road” soon for a series of yet-to-be-scheduled appearances to raise consciousness about AIDS prevention.

Regarding mounting press attention to Johnson’s admitted sexual promiscuousness, Rosen said that Johnson “will address this in the coming weeks.”

Rosen said Johnson, who did not talk to reporters Sunday night, stayed on Maui with his wife, Cookie, and four other couples. While there he worked out daily and also “had to dodge photographers from the rag sheets (tabloids). They would pop out of the bushes.”

Rosen reaffirmed Johnson’s contention, published last week in a piece Johnson authored for Sports Illustrated, that he plans to play in the 1992 Olympic Games.

Rosen said Johnson’s doctors have told him that while “the consistent pounding of a 100-game schedule was too much . . . playing in the Olympics will not be a problem.”

Times staff writer Bob Baker contributed to this story.