Magic Johnson sat down with Anderson Cooper in an attempt to set the record straight about the ridiculous, mean-spirited small-minded things that octogenarian bigot Donald Sterling said about him during his interview with Cooper, which aired Monday night. Johnson was as gracious, thoughtful and well spoken as we’ve come to expect from him. Cooper admitted that he was embarrassed to have to ask Johnson to respond to Sterling’s baseless and racist accusations, but he did, calmly, with humor and in a way that showed how wrong Sterling was.

As brief background to this story, Johnson was dragged into the Donald Sterling scandal after Sterling’s mistress, V. Stiviano, posted a photo on Instagram of herself posing with Johnson. In the leaked audio that launched the controversy, Sterling told Stiviano not to bring black people to Clippers’ games, particularly Johnson, and to delete photos from her Instragram of black people. On Anderson Cooper 360, Johnson explained that he really didn’t know Stiviano and that he merely posed with her for a photo. He also refuted, point-by-point, Sterling’s other claims, including the allegation that he does nothing for the black community, which is patently untrue. Johnson also addressed Sterling’s smears about his HIV status, and he was dignified and articulate about it.

On if he knows Stiviano
I never met this young lady. I took a picture with her, probably, it looked like at a Dodger game. That is it. That’s all I know of her. And then he says I’m trying to set him up.

Sterling never apologized to Johnson; wanted Johnson to sit next to him on Barbara Walters’ show
So, I said no. Then I told him. I said, Donald, you should consult with your attorneys. I said, this thing is a big thing. And you should deal with your attorneys and let them advise you on what to do. But I said, you need to go public and apologize to everybody.

He was adamant about me going on the show with him. And I told him, no, I wouldn’t do it. And that’s what happened…

So, I — my people, my attorneys and advisers said, look, you can’t be talking to Donald. I said, OK. So that is what happened. So we just called his attorney and said don’t be personally calling me, because I didn’t want him to feel that he could just call me, because he had not apologized to me.

On Sterling’s smear against him for having HIV
Well, you know, here is a man who we would think would be educated and a man who would — is smart enough to build this type of wealth and own a team that has an incredible platform to change the world.

But he is doing it in a negative way. You know, first of all, 22 years ago, I announced that I did have HIV. And I came out like a man. You know, I told the world.

I didn’t blame nobody else. I understood what I did was wrong, OK?

So I announced that to the world. And I hope that I was able to help people in doing that. And I think I did.

On his charity organization
I have been to hospitals, hugging people with HIV and AIDS, you know, before they were dying or people who had — didn’t know if they could live a long time. I hugged them. I counseled them. I talked to them. I talked to them about taking their meds and not — making sure that they stay on their regimen, which is the key.

I talked to a lot of young people who just got HIV and was thinking about, you know, committing suicide, you see? And I tried to talk them out of that.

And we have given away over $15 million, my foundation. I have joined the president’s HIV and AIDS council. And I have done a lot of work in the HIV and AIDS community…

But since you have put me in it again, and then you want to try to disrespect me, of the work that I have done in the minority community, that really makes me upset. And then my competitive spirit comes out, because I have done all this great work, all the kids we have sent to college. And I have got 150 kids on scholarship right now.

On Sterling saying African Americans don’t give back to the community
You know, it’s — it’s disturbing. It is sad. It is — he didn’t do his homework.

Tyler Perry called me right after the interview. He was so upset. Spike Lee called me. I mean, look, we help each other, you know, and we — and what we try to do is band together to see how we can better our community. We also give the information, because I’m successful, Tyler is successful, on and on, on and on.

We go back and educate the others on how they can become successful. So, it is not about just giving them money. It is about giving them the tools so that they can be successful in the African-American community.

On if Sterling could be slipping into dementia
He certainly seemed lucid enough for that. He certainly remembered things he was saying, remembered train of thoughts, brought it back to conversation when he wanted to…

He seems like he is all there. And in your interview, he is a guy who is making conversation. And — and he remembers time, dates. I mean, he remembered when I came to his beach house. And that was 35 years ago. So he can’t be slipping that much.

But the problem is, he is living in the Stone Ages. He can’t make those comments about African-Americans or Latinos. He just can’t do it.

On Sterling claiming that the team still loves him
Now he is delusional. And not only the Clippers don’t love him. The other players in the NBA don’t love him. So, the players have rallied together. Now, the only thing they’re waiting for is to see what is going to happen with the vote and the Board of Governors…

All I know is that Donald Sterling is not welcome back in the NBA by the — he should not be welcomed by the owners. I hope they vote it right. But the players, former players and the fans — I was there the other night at the Clipper game — don’t want to see Donald Sterling as the owner anymore.

On if he wants to buy the Clippers
Well, you know, we have to wait. That’s going to be eight months to a year to see if it ever hits the market.

But, for me, if it comes out, and it’s for sale, and my Guggenheim Partners and I say, OK, we want to take a look at it and we want to buy it, of course we will make a run for it…

If I was going to trick somebody, deceive somebody, be dishonest to somebody, steal somebody’s franchise, it is going to be the Los Angeles Lakers.

[Transcript from Anderson Cooper 360, received via email]

Johnson is hilarious. I love what he said about wanting the Lakers way more than the Clippers. Johnson defended himself incredibly well, but I don’t think he necessarily had to bother. It’s easy for most everyone to see this situation for what it is – an old racist codger spouting baseless accusations against once of the most upstanding and beloved former players in the NBA.

Cooper also mentioned in the interview that NBA commissioner Adam Silver issues a public apology to Magic Johnson for the Sterling’s interview. Silver said “I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to [Magic] he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack. The NBA Board of Governors is continuing the process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible.” You know that Sterling’s obnoxious interview just put a fire under their asses too.

Here is part one of Magic’s interview with Cooper. You can watch the rest on CNN.