Two former NBA stars with highly publicized health issues will promote "Obama Care" in upcoming television ads, The Hill reported. Magic Johnson's 30 second clip premiers tonight on ESPN in between college basketball games -- and not the NBA, which is scheduled for TNT (Knicks vs. Pacers followed by OKC vs. Houston). Alonzo Mourning's spot will air sometime in the near future. Eventually, the ads will run on ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV during NBA games, according to Politico.

After making headlines as perhaps the most gifted passer in NBA history, Johnson furthered his name recognition when he announced he was HIV-positive in 1991. Alonzo Mourning, he of the annual 20-10 seasons, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and devastating losses to my New York Knicks, developed kidney disease before the 2000-01 season, missed the entire 2002-03 season, and returned in 2003-04 in rather robust health (for a ten-year veteran) after a kidney transplant. He would eventually help the Heat to an NBA championship as a backup center in 2005-06.

"I was at the top of my game. I felt invincible ... but when I went for my regular team physical, it turned out I had serious kidney disease. It was caught in time to treat ... and lucky for me, I was insured," Mourning said in the ad.

The commercials are a part of a $52 million campaign by the administration prior to the March 31 deadline when open enrollment ends. Efforts to obtain other sports figures were less successful because of the controversy surrounding the Affordable Health Care Act, both ideologically and practically (such as the website issues), according to Politico. Most of the

"We know the young and healthy audience responds well to sports figures, and these 30-second ads feature two NBA legends that each have a compelling health story," said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid spokeswoman Julie Bataille.

Just 24 percent of current enrollees are between the ages of 18 and 34. For the law to function to full capacity, that percentage needs to rise to 40 percent, according to The Hill. Thus, the ads are targeted towards NBA fans, a large portion of which fit that demographic.

Not the 30 second version, but still Magic.