Magic Johnson contracted HIV through unprotected sex with a woman who was infected with the virus. He has stated that he cannot pinpoint the exact time or person, but before marriage, he led a bachelor lifestyle with multiple female partners during his travels as an NBA player

. There have been false claims circulating that he contracted HIV from a contaminated hepatitis B vaccine in a study, but these claims have been debunked. Johnson himself has never mentioned any link to vaccines and has credited medical researchers, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, for helping him manage his condition since his diagnosis in 1991