After a viral tweet, Magic Johnson is denying donating blood. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Magic Johnson: 'I have never donated blood' after old picture surfaces

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 8/23/22

NBA living legend and successful businessman Earvin "Magic" Johnson has become yet the latest individual in the sports world to have to shoot down a bizarre rumor spread via the Internet.

Per TMZ Sports and Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post, a Twitter account that admits to being a satire page shared a since-deleted picture last Thursday that allegedly showed Johnson donating "some of his blood to the Red Cross to help underprivileged communities help fight COVID-19." The post ultimately went viral largely because Johnson famously and publicly announced in 1991 that he has HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Johnson has since taken to Twitter to set the record straight:

I’m aware of the false story circling the internet, and to be clear, I have never donated blood.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 23, 2022

On Monday, Sophia Tulp of the Associated Press explained that the original picture of Johnson is from a 2012 documentary produced by PBS Frontline entitled "Endgame: AIDS in Black America." At the time, Johnson was having his blood drawn by longtime physician, Dr. David Ho.

"Red Cross standards for blood donation prohibit people who have ever received a positive HIV test, or those who may be at risk for becoming infected with HIV, from giving blood. All donations are also tested for the virus and antibodies," Tulp added. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the U.S. blood supply is 'thoroughly tested' and that 'blood collection procedures are highly regulated and safe.'"

Johnson, a Hall of Famer, won five NBA titles during his storied career and has served as a public advocate for HIV awareness and prevention throughout the past three decades.

More must-reads: