Magic Johnson and Karl Malone met Saturday morning for the first time since their names were linked in controversy last November. They left together, saying they will remain friends.

Johnson, the former Lakers' superstar, was in Salt Lake to prepare for today's NBC television game between the Jazz and Blazers. Johnson works as a television analyst. He attended the Jazz practice at Westminster College and walked out of the building with Malone afterward."Everyone asks, `Do you hate Karl Malone?' " said Johnson. "I never did hate him and I don't now. All I ever wanted was to talk."

The controversy stemmed from remarks Malone made during the exhibition season about playing against anyone who has tested HIV-positive. The remarks appeared in the New York Times, a day before Johnson announced he was retiring from basketball.

Both said the incident was blown out of proportion, due to the timing of a story in the Times. Johnson said he decided to retire from the NBA on the Saturday (Oct. 31), a day before the Times story came out on Sunday (Nov. 1). In that story, Malone talked about the number of times players are cut and scratched in an NBA game. "They can't tell you that you're not at risk, and you can't tell me there's one guy in the NBA who hasn't thought about it," Malone was quoted saying.

On Monday (Nov. 2), Johnson made the public announcement that he was retiring, and though he had decided before the Times story even ran, it appeared he was quitting because of Malone's comments. "I told my wife when I got home on the plane Saturday morning that I was retiring on Monday," said Johnson. "It had nothing to do with the fact that Karl came out. You know what happened. They (the media) just took it from there and it was a big, big situation. Any time a story is in the New York Times, then everyone in America is calling."

Johnson said he and the Mailman became friends in Barcelona last summer, talking about basketball and business. "I'm able to say I can call John Stockton a good friend now, I'm able to say that Karl Malone is a friend of mine, too. Out of these Olympics - you know I never knew John, we were competitors - I know his kids, it was fun playing with them. His wife is a wonderful person. You know, that Olympic spirit was so wonderful, because I never knew Karl and John. I got to know them."

He added that "I now have two new friends I did not have before."

Of course, Malone was the subject of major criticism, having aired concerns about playing against one of basketball's greatest stars. Malone said earlier this season that when the time came, he'd talk with Johnson "man to man."

"I always said when the opportunity presents itself, I would talk with him," said Malone on Saturday. "But I never felt it was the kind of relationship where I could pick up the phone and call him at his house."

Johnson walked into Westminster's gymnasium during the Jazz's practice and later shook hands with the Mailman, exchanging greetings. After television and newspaper interviews were done, they walked out of the building together.

View Comments

"I didn't say it to make a big stink or anything like that," said Malone of his earlier comments. "And basically I think Magic understands that."

Malone said he is sure the ex-Laker star harbors no ill feelings. "I think the fans and to some degree the media made it bigger than it is," Malone said.

He added that even in Barcelona "he knew where I was coming from. I always was a straight-shooting person and I still am. It's not taking a shot at anybody while he's down. It's not being jealous of a guy. It's none of that stuff. I think people that know me know that. He got to know me briefly over there (Barcelona) and he knows where I'm coming from, too. So I look forward to talking to him."

Said Johnson, "The only thing I wanted was maybe like a little fair warning, so when all the writers come running at me I could say, `Yeah, I knew he was going to say it; that he was uncomfortable, da-da-da. But now, since I didn't know, you know they're going to make a big thing out of it. And I didn't ever want it to be Karl and Magic are not friends anymore; Karl doesn't like Magic, Magic doesn't like Karl. Then you got a whole big thing going . . . So what happened was I was just caught off guard. So that's why I was saying I wish he would have just told me, that this was going to happen. And then I could have been better prepared."

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.