David Stern: Another NBA player besides Magic Johnson, diagnosed after retiring, contracted HIV during my tenure

Monday was the 25th anniversary of Magic Johnson retiring due to HIV.

In his famous press conference, Johnson addressed leaving the Lakers as David Stern sat at his side.

Stern, who served as NBA commissioner from 1984-2014, said this wasn’t his only experience of learning a player tested positive for HIV.

Bill Oram of The Orange County Register:

Stern said he knew of one other NBA player to contract HIV during his tenure as commissioner, but that the diagnosis came after the player’s career ended, was not made public, and that the player has since died.

If another player tested positive for HIV, Stern said, the public might not even know about it

“There’s not necessarily a reason to announce,” he said, “and if you asked me do I think that amongst all of the professional athletes in the country or the world, whether there are other HIV positive athletes, I think there probably are.”

It is a sign of the progress Johnson has fought for that a player could keep his medical issues private if he so chose.