Comebacks in sports are an amazing thing.  When a player steps away from sports, we appreciate their greatness more over time.  And when they come back,  it is almost as if they are reborn and we are able to tap back into the excitement we feel for that player.

It was on this day, January 30th, 1996, that Magic Johnson returned to an NBA basketball game for the first time since announcing that he had contracted the HIV virus. The Los Angeles crowd at the Great Western Forum gave Magic a standing ovation as he entered the game.

Magic didn’t start the game, he entered after a few minutes.  The Lakers went on to defeat the Golden State Warriors by a score of 128 – 118.  Magic played 27 minutes and scored 19 points while dishing out 10 assists.  The game was a memorable moment in Lakers history and the crowd’s support of Magic Johnson was evident throughout the entire game.