Magic Johnson Tells Oprah Winfrey How He Told Teammates of HIV Diagnosis

Magic Johnson is set to tell even more of his story.

The former Los Angeles Lakers superstar will appear on an episode of Oprah's Next Chapter Sunday, Dec. 1. During the show, which happens to be airing on World AIDS Day, he'll give an in-depth interview about his HIV diagnosis, including a description of what it was like to tell his Lakers teammates.

Yahoo! Sports' Dan Devine has all the details:

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In the interview, which will air at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time on Winfrey's OWN channel, Johnson sits with Oprah at his Los Angeles home to talk about the Hall of Fame point guard's historic career, which was forever changed by the Nov. 7, 1991, announcement that he had contracted HIV ... and the heartwrenching experience of sharing that information with his Lakers teammates two hours before his landmark press conference.

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Magic announced to the world that he was HIV-positive on Thursday, Nov. 7, 1991. ESPN Films revisited the scene with a documentary entitled The Announcement back in March 2012.

They gave this description of the events:

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But the shock of this declaration went deeper. Having the AIDS virus in 1991 was widely seen as a death sentence, and the commonly held belief was that we would be watching a beloved sports hero die excruciatingly and swiftly in front of our eyes. Yet, Magic had a different narrative in mind. He defied the odds, not just surviving, but truly living and prospering. From his MVP performance in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, his participation on the original Olympic "Dream Team" later that year and an NBA comeback in 1996, to his astounding success as a businessman, philanthropist and ambassador in the fight against AIDS, Magic has lived up to the promise of his nickname.

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Clips of Magic's interview are provided by Devine and can also be seen here on Oprah's official website.

The one-on-one session also touches upon a variety of other things, including Magic's post-NBA business ventures—like that of becoming a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers—his openly gay son, E.J., the support he received from his wife and his health today.

"If she had left me, I wouldn't be here today," Magic says in one of the clips.

The interview will certainly be worth a watch. Any additional information Magic provides about his life since 1991 is bound to be compelling and, to an extent, educational.

Magic has been an inspiration for his ability to combat this HIV diagnosis for over two decades, and the opportunity to delve deeper into his past doesn't come along often. Seize it.

What was it like telling his teammates? His family? How has he remained upbeat and optimistic? What makes him so resilient, so defiant?

"He looked me in the eyes and said, 'When God gave me this disease, he gave it to the right person,'" longtime Lakers athletic trainer Gary Vitti said of Magic in Nelson George's 2012 documentary The Announement, as transcribed by Devine.

What truly makes Magic the right person? Tune in on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time to find out.