Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who has HIV, denied a “false story” that he donated blood to COVID patients last week.
“I’m aware of the false story circling the internet and to be clear, I have never donated blood,” Johnson tweeted on Tuesday.
The NBA legend addressed the matter after a since-deleted viral Twitter photo of the 63-year-old alleged he “donated some of his blood to the Red Cross to help underprivileged communities help fight COVID-19.”
The image showed Johnson with his right arm outstretched, with a medical needle in his arm. The bio of the Twitter account even states: “spreading narratives with misinformation (satire).”
The photo of Johnson is actually real as it was taken back in 2012 for a documentary produced by PBS Frontline called “Endgame: AIDS in Black America.” The photo was taken during a scene in which Johnson had his blood drawn at a doctor’s appointment by his longtime physician, Dr. David Ho.
The NBA icon has since become an advocate for HIV awareness, treatment and prevention methods through his Magic Johnson Foundation.
