Gus Johnson (basketball)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 13, 1938 Akron, Ohio |
| Died | April 29, 1987 (aged 48) Akron, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Akron (OH) Central |
| College | |
| NBA draft | 1963 / Round: 2 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Baltimore Bullets | |
| Playing career | 1963–1973 |
| Position | Forward / Center |
| Number | 25, 13 |
| Career history | |
| 1963–1972 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1972 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1972–1973 | Indiana Pacers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA and ABA statistics | |
| Points | 10,243 (16.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,624 (12.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,603 (2.5 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
Gus Johnson (December 13, 1938 – April 29, 1987) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), 235-pound (107 kg) forward–center, he spent nine seasons with the Baltimore Bullets, and his final season was split between the Phoenix Suns and the Indiana Pacers of the ABA.
One of the first forwards to frequently play above the rim, Johnson combined an unusual blend of strength, jumping ability, and speed; he was one of the first dunk shot artists in the NBA. His nickname "Honeycomb" was given to him by his college coach. He had a gold star drilled into one of his front teeth and shattered three backboards during his career.
As a member of the Baltimore Bullets, Johnson was voted to the All-Rookie Team for 1963–64. He played in five NBA All-Star Games, was named to four All-NBA Second Teams, and was twice named to the All-NBA Defense First Team. His number 25 jersey was retired by the Baltimore Bullets franchise. With the Pacers, he was a member of the 1973 ABA championship team.
Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Johnson attended Central High School in Akron, Ohio, where he was an All-State high school player, and he did reasonably-well in the classroom, too. Among his teammates was Nate Thurmond, a future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame center. Despite Johnson's clears talent and athletic ability, he had just a few college athletic scholarship offers, which was fairly common for black high school athletes in the late 1950s.
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