When basketball players face adversity it is especially important for them to maintain a mentality that represents not just basketball mental toughness but a healthy and confident basketball psychology as well. Earvin “Magic” Johnson is just the type of example of these traits.

On November 7, 1991 the world was shocked and sadden at the same time when the three time NBA All-Star and three-time MVP made the announcement. At a press conference with the world watching he made the stunning announcement that he was HIV positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. Back in those days this was a new epidemic and the likelihood of long term survival was very low. In 1991 with the limited knowledge of the virus it was widely viewed as a death sentence for Magic and the world prepared for the soon to come death of the super star.

The Magic Johnson that we grew to love and respect through basketball turned that basketball mental toughness into life mental toughness and defied the odds. In 1992, he played in the NBA All-Star Game, he participated on the original Olympic “Dream Team” and later that year made an NBA comeback in 1996. He is now a successful businessman, philanthropist and ambassador in the fight against AIDS.

Yet 20 years later Magic is not only still alive but a pillar of strength towards the effort to educate people about HIV/AIDS. This is a tremendous testimony to the mental toughness of a professional basketball player who had basically just been given a death sentence.

In the face of this type of adversity many players, even professional, would have quit, given up and just faced the fact that they were going to die soon. But Magic did not. He showed an incredibly mental and physical fit for basketball and life, picked himself up, stood up to the plate and went back to the game he loved and then on to a new love – life, business and education.

Currently Magic is involved in many basketball activities as well as his raising awareness of HIV/AIDS. He gives basketball motivational speeches and presentations as well as explaining the importance of having basketball confidence and a basketball mental toughness that will allow a player to mentally overcome whatever adversity may come along in life and in sports.

In a times like this, it is important to note that it is 20 years later and Magic has showed a mentality to continue to fight and beat this disease until a cure can possible be found. He is not just psychologically and mentally fit but he is physically fit as he possibly can be.

How do you stay mentally tough in the face of adversity?

This is what the NBA All-Star and three-time MVP Magic Johnson said:

“Don’t ever give up. If somebody says no to you, or if you get cut, Michael Jordan was cut his first year, but he came back and he was the best ever. That is what you have to have. The attitude that I’m going to show everybody, I’m going to work hard to get better and better.”