Magic Johnson Is ‘Praying’ For Late Friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Family

Magic Johnson is expressing his sadness after the passing of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner.

The former basketball player took to X on Monday, July 21, to talk about his friend’s tragic passing.

“Cookie and I are sad to hear about the passing of our dear friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” he began. “We were both super fans of the hit Cosby Show and continued to follow his career on shows like Malcolm and Eddie and The Resident.”

He remembered the pleasant discussions the two would have about life.

“Every time I ran into Malcolm, we would have deep and fun conversations about basketball, life, and business. He will truly be missed,” Johnson continued.

He ended the message by saying, “Cookie and I are praying his family and close friends during this difficult time.”

---

Warner Passed While on Vacation

Warner tragically lost his life on Sunday, July 20, after drowning while on a family vacation in Costa Rica, numerous outlets reported. He was 54 at the time.

The police told ABC News the cause of death was asphyxia.

PEOPLE obtained a statement from the Judicial Investigation Agency, which revealed more information regarding the sad news.

The agency revealed that “the victim appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current. The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene.”

Warner was known for playing Bill Cosby’s son Theo Huxtable in the iconic “The Cosby Show.” In addition, he appeared in the sitcom “Malcolm & Eddie” from 1996 to 2000. He was also in the show “Reed Between the Lones” where he starred alongside actress Tracee Ellis Ross.

The late star was notoriously private. He leaves behind a wife and a daughter.

---

Tributes Pour In

After the news broke, friends and family rushed to social media to express their sadness.

Actor Alfonso Ribeiro shared a heartfelt message regarding his friend on Instagram.

“Goodbye my friend. I’ve known you most of my career. You’ve always held a very special place in my heart,” he wrote. “We both grew up in NYC and performed at a very young age.”

Actor Bill Cosby’s representative shared with TMZ how he felt when he heard the news of Warner’s passing.

The news reportedly reminded the 88-year-old of when he was filming “The Cosby Show” in January 1997. More specifically, he recalled the moment “when he got a call informing him that his son Ennis Cosby was shot dead in a failed robbery attempt.”