Magic Johnson’s 20-year-old son Earvin Johnson III, also known as EJ, was photographed walking with his boyfriend this week, the two young men strolling down the Sunset Strip with hands clasped. Johnson’s reaction? “It’s not gonna change my son and the way I love him. If people can’t understand it, that’s on them.”

The basketball icon and HIV/AIDS activist, 53, gave a video interview to TMZ in which he detailed his support of EJ’s homosexuality, something he has known about since his son was at “a young age.”

“We’ve known for a long time that my son EJ was gay,” Johnson explained. “We finally had to sit down and talk about it. I told him, ‘Look, I’m gonna love you regardless. Just let me know. Are you, or aren’t you?’ And finally he said, ‘Yes, I am.'”

While Johnson and his wife Cookie have known for years that their son was gay, this week’s excursion was EJ’s first public appearance as an out gay man. Johnson and his family are excited, with the sports legend saying “This is a good moment for us as a family, and a greater moment for him. Now he’s just the bubbly kid we knew again.”

“I’m behind him a million percent. This is really wonderful for him,” he added.

Even though Johnson is clearly supportive of his son, EJ was initially afraid to tell his father about his sexuality, revealing the truth first to his mother. He hadn’t need fear; Johnson says “I told him, ‘We are here to support you. We are gonna love you no matter who you are, what you do. We just want you to love yourself and also make sure that you have all the information.'”

Having spent years advocating on behalf of the LGBT communities and supporting the awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS, Johnson knew his son would face discrimination in response to his coming out. Even so, he concluded “I think this is going to be good for a lot of black young people who want to come out. He’s going to be that symbol.”

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant told TMZ he was not blindsided by Johnson’s support. “Of course Magic is supportive of and loves his son. Why should anyone be surprised?” He then went on to add that “What I can’t tolerate is a lack of tolerance.”

Johnson played for the Lakers from 1979 through 1991, and again in 1996. He retired in 1991 after testing positive for HIV.