Back in the 1980's, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson and Detroit Pistons icon Isiah Thomas were considered best friends. Unfortunately, their once great friendship was no more after the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers finally played each other in two consecutive NBA Finals in 1988 and 1989.

Johnson eventually admitted that he helped keep Thomas off the Dream Team in part because the former said that the latter spread a rumor that he was bisexual or gay.

Per Sports Illustrated:

“Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics. Nobody on that team wanted to play with him,” Johnson said in his book, When the Game Was Ours. “Michael [Jordan] didn't want to play with him. Scottie [Pippen] wanted no part of him. Bird wasn't pushing for him. Karl Malone didn't want him. Who was saying, ‘We need this guy?' Nobody.”

After all these years, Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas finally buried the hatchet in an emotional NBA TV special of “Players Only Monthly” that aired on Tuesday night.

“This has been a tremendous day,” Johnson said. “My wife, my mother, my father have been saying y'all need to get back together. So when everybody called, I said no question we're going to do this. And just to sit across from you and relive those moments of fun, excellence, working hard, dreaming big.”

Towards the end of the special, Johnson and Thomas immediately began to break down after their next heartfelt exchange.

“You are my brother. Let me apologize to you if I hurt you—that we haven't been together,” Johnson said. “God is good to bring us back together.”

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A brief video clip posted on NBATV's official Twitter can be viewed below:

Is someone cutting onions in here? This was quite an awesome segment that NBA TV decided to air. It's such a great thing when people are able to squash their beef and reconcile like this, especially after so many years.