Magic recalls Jordan telling him to retire after comeback

Magic Johnson appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Thursday and shared a story he had never told before about a conversation he had with Michael Jordan in 1996.

As Johnson recalled, his Los Angeles Lakers had just lost to the Chicago Bulls in his second game back after returning to the NBA almost five years following his HIV diagnosis.

"Michael, after the game, he pulled me aside - I don't think I've ever told anybody this," Johnson said. "He met me in between the locker rooms, and he said, 'Earvin, you have to remember now, you're not with Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), you're not with James Worthy. All the guys you used to play with, 'Showtime,' are not on that Laker team anymore. So remember, maybe you should think about retiring.'"

"What a sick person," Kimmel responded, laughing. "What a sick individual."

"But he was right," Johnson said. "He was right."

Johnson played in 32 games for the Lakers during the 1995-96 season before retiring for a final time, while Jordan's Bulls went on to win their fourth NBA championship.