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'Winning Time' Episode 3: Fans joke about Magic Johnson wilding out, say 'he was a lost cause'

Johnson was one of the players and the list of high-profile names who made it vocal that he didn't approve of the show

Earvin 'Magic' Johnson has quite the first night in Los Angeles. He did play ball, but not the way most expected and it most definitely wasn't on the hardwood. 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty' opened with the Lakers legend's diagnosis of HIV, and over the episodes, it is clear why. In Episode 3, Johnson is shown having sex with one of the women at Zastro's place. It's fun for the young gun at the moment, but it did have an effect, and the HBO sports drama captures it.

Johnson was one of the players and the list of high-profile names who made it vocal that he didn't approve of the show. "It’s hard. I won’t watch it because it’s hard to duplicate," Johnson told Entertainment Tonight. “You can’t duplicate Showtime."

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He continued: "I’m not gonna watch. Now, if the Lakers or myself or some Lakers have something to do with it, then I would, but it’s just, you can’t copy that, it’s just too much... First, on the court, I mean, we just did our thing, it was up and down. And then off the court—because unless you were a Laker, or you’re a Buss family [member] because you can’t duplicate Dr. Jerry Buss—and the Laker Girls and Paula Abdul and what that meant, I mean, it started on the court and it went all the way up."

Fans though were in splits. "I see why Magic didn’t approve of this. #WinningTime," one of the fans remarked. "Magic like me saying the truth but not the truth at the same time. Homie said I’m eating real good but he ain’t talking bout food. #WinningTime," another fan opined. "Lmaooooo Magic was at Zastro's turning up #WinningTime," a tweet read.

The jokes continued. "Magic got straight to it as soon as he touched down #WinningTime," one of the comments read. "Meanwhile, I don’t even know how to process the ways in which Magic is wildin tf out! #WinningTime," one of the fans exclaimed. "Magic was a lost cause when he touched down in LA. #WinningTime #WinningTimeHBO," a fan seconded.

Johnson, the bonafide star of the franchise, discovered that he had contracted HIV, and broke the news while also shocking the world with early retirement. He was 32 at the time and had played 12 seasons with the Purple and Gold. In the conference that saw the country struggle to come to terms with the news, Johnson went on to advocate that he would use the time encouraging the generation to engage in 'safe sex' rather than look at HIV as a disease and a stigma.

Per Bob Steiner, the public relations director for California Sports Inc, said Johnson had acquired the virus in a heterosexual relationship. At that point, it was also revealed that his wife Cookie was seven months pregnant.

With these odd snippets, 'Winning Time' manages to connect Johnson's HIV diagnosis to the audience. 

'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty' airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on HBO.