Gus Johnson (basketball) facts for kids
Johnson with the Indiana Pacers
during the 1972–73 ABA season |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 13, 1938 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | April 29, 1987 (aged 48) Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school | Central (Akron, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 1963 / Round: 2 / Pick: 10th overall |
| Selected by the Baltimore Bullets | |
| Pro career | 1963–1973 |
| 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) |
Gus Johnson Jr. (born December 13, 1938 – died April 29, 1987) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the American Basketball Association (ABA). Gus was 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 235 pounds. He played as a forward and sometimes as a center.
Gus Johnson played nine seasons with the Baltimore Bullets. In his final season, he played for the Phoenix Suns and the Indiana Pacers. He was known for his amazing strength, jumping, and speed. Gus was one of the first players to dunk the ball often in the NBA. His college coach gave him the nickname "Honeycomb." He even had a gold star in one of his front teeth! During his career, he famously broke three backboards with his powerful dunks.
As a player for the Baltimore Bullets, Gus was chosen for the All-Rookie Team in 1963–64. He averaged over 17 points and 12 rebounds per game. He played in five NBA All-Star Games. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team four times. Plus, he made the All-NBA Defense First Team twice. The Baltimore Bullets retired his number 25 jersey. With the Indiana Pacers, he helped the team win the 1973 ABA championship.
Gus Johnson was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Gus Johnson was born in Akron, Ohio. He was one of six children in his family. As a teenager, he loved basketball and also enjoyed reading the Bible. He often said that the Bible story of Samson inspired him.
Gus went to Akron Central High School. There, he was an all-state player, meaning he was one of the best in the state. He also did well in his classes. One of his teammates was Nate Thurmond, who would also become a famous basketball player. Even though Gus was very talented, he didn't get many college athletic scholarship offers. This was common for black high school athletes in the late 1950s.
College Basketball Journey
Gus first enrolled at the University of Akron. However, he left before the basketball season started. He then joined a local club team called the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Cleveland Pipers in 1960. A former teammate of Idaho coach Joe Cipriano saw Gus play and told the coach about him.
Gus accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Idaho. First, he spent a year at Boise Junior College. This helped him improve his grades. At Boise Junior College, he averaged an amazing 30 points and 20 rebounds per game.
"Honeycomb" and the Idaho Vandals
In 1962, Gus transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow. The Vandals had a decent season the year before. With Gus, they started strong, winning their first five games. They were 12–2 by January. Gus was so good that Coach Cipriano nicknamed him "Honeycomb" because of his smooth play.
As a junior, Gus averaged 19.0 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. He led Idaho to a 20–6 record, which was their best in 36 years. Gus and his teammate Chuck White helped the Vandals play very well against their rivals. They had a great record against teams like Oregon and Washington State.
Fans packed the Memorial Gym to watch Gus play. He was almost the top rebounder in the NCAA. He set a University of Idaho record with 31 rebounds in one game against Oregon. The Oregon coach even called Gus a "6' 6" Bill Russell," saying he was the best player his team had ever faced.
Even with their great 20–6 record, the Vandals were not invited to the post-season tournaments. At that time, the NCAA tournament only had 25 teams. Also, Gus would not have been allowed to play in tournaments due to NCAA rules for transfers.
During his time at Idaho, Gus's incredible standing high jump ability led to a challenge called "The Nail." A local sports bar dared anyone to jump from a standing start and touch a nail hammered 11 feet 6 inches above the ground. If they could, they'd win free drinks!
Gus left college for professional basketball after just one season at Idaho.
Professional Basketball Career
Gus Johnson started his NBA career a bit later than some, turning 25 in December of his first season. He was picked tenth overall in the 1963 NBA draft. This was in the second round by the Chicago Zephyrs. This team was moving to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Bullets for the 1963–64 season.
Playing for the Baltimore Bullets
Gus immediately became a starter for the Bullets under Coach Slick Leonard. He averaged 17.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. He finished second for the Rookie of the Year award. Gus, along with his former high school teammate Nate Thurmond, was one of the top three rookies that year.
Coach Slick Leonard saw Gus's potential early on. He said, "I could see Gussie developing into one of the great defensive forwards of all time."
Gus was an exciting player for the Bullets. He was great at scoring close to the basket and running fast breaks. In his early years, the Bullets were a new team and often finished last. But they slowly got better by drafting good players. They added players like Jack Marin, Earl Monroe, and Wes Unseld. Wes Unseld became both Rookie-of-the-Year and the NBA Most Valuable Player in 1968–69. That same year, the Bullets won their division for the first time.
Gus was known as one of the best two-way players of his time. This means he was great at both offense and defense. He could score like other stars, but he was also a very tough defender and a strong rebounder. He was quick enough to guard fast players and strong enough to play against taller forwards.
Even with some knee problems, Gus was chosen for the NBA All-Star Team five times. During his NBA career, he averaged 17.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. He even scored 25 points in just 25 minutes in the 1965 NBA All-Star Game.
Gus had his best years with the Bullets from 1968 to 1971. During this time, he became more recognized for his amazing play. He was voted onto the All-NBA second-team. In the 1968–69 season, the Bullets had their best regular season record. However, they lost quickly in the playoffs because Gus was injured.
In 1970–71, Gus played a key role in Baltimore's surprising run to the NBA Finals. He averaged 13 points and 10.4 rebounds per playoff game. The Bullets beat the Philadelphia 76ers and then upset the defending champion New York Knicks. They made it to the NBA Finals. But many players were injured, and the Bullets lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in four games.
Injuries kept Gus on the bench for most of the 1971–72 season. He played only 39 games and averaged 6 points per game. This was his last season with the Bullets. In his nine seasons with Baltimore, he averaged 17.5 points and 12.9 rebounds.
Short Stints with Phoenix and Indiana
On April 12, 1972, Gus was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played 21 games for them before being released on December 1.
The Indiana Pacers, who were in the American Basketball Association (ABA) at the time, then signed Gus. His former Baltimore coach, Slick Leonard, helped bring him to the Pacers. Gus played his first game with the Pacers on December 16, 1972. He became an important veteran player for the young team. The Pacers went on to win the 1973 ABA championship.
Coach Leonard said that Gus was "great for team chemistry." Darnell Hillman, a teammate, said Gus was a "great, great individual." He added that Gus was very helpful in the locker room, knowing how to encourage his teammates. Gus also acted like an assistant coach on the bench.
In the 1973 ABA Finals, the Pacers beat the Kentucky Colonels 4-3 to win the championship. Gus played 13 minutes in the final game, helping the Pacers win 88-81. This was Gus Johnson's last professional game. Injuries limited his pro basketball career to 10 seasons.
Final Years and Legacy
Gus Johnson passed away on April 29, 1987, at age 48, from a brain tumor.
Before he died, his number 25 jersey was retired by the Washington Bullets on his 48th birthday. This was a special honor. A month later, both Boise State and Idaho honored him. They retired his number 43 at Idaho, making it the first basketball number retired in the school's history.
Gus had worried that his daughters might not know what he did as a basketball player. But his legacy lives on through his achievements and the memories of those who saw him play. He is buried at Mount Peace Cemetery in Akron, Ohio.
What People Said About Gus
Many famous basketball players and coaches spoke highly of Gus Johnson:
- Teammate Earl Monroe said, "Gus was ahead of his time, flying through the air for slam dunks, breaking backboards and throwing full-court passes behind his back. He was spectacular, but he also did the nitty gritty jobs, defense and rebounding."
- Abe Pollin, former owner of the Washington Bullets, called Gus "the Dr. J of his time." He said, "anyone that ever had the privilege to see him play will never forget what a great basketball player Gus Johnson was."
- Teammate Wes Unseld said, "He was a ferocious defender and rebounder, and as a young player, I was completely in awe of his ability. He was truly a star ahead of his time."
- Dave DeBusschere said, "He was one of the most tenacious competitors ever to play the game."
- Coach Slick Leonard said, "If he played today, ol’ Gussie would be a human highlight film... But there was a lot more to his game than the spectacular dunks. He was special. He could play, man.”
Awards and Recognition
- In 2007, Gus Johnson was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
- Also in 2007, he was inducted into the University of Idaho Hall of Fame.
- In 2010, Gus Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
- His number 43 jersey was retired by the University of Idaho in January 1987.
- His number 25 jersey was retired by the Washington Bullets on December 13, 1986.
- He was inducted into the Boise State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Denotes seasons in which Johnson won an ABA championship |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963–64 | Baltimore | 78 | – | 36.5 | .430 | – | .658 | 13.6 | 2.2 | – | – | 17.3 |
| 1964–65 | Baltimore | 76 | – | 38.1 | .418 | – | .676 | 13.0 | 3.6 | – | – | 18.6 |
| 1965–66 | Baltimore | 41 | – | 31.3 | .413 | – | .736 | 13.3 | 2.8 | – | – | 16.5 |
| 1966–67 | Baltimore | 73 | – | 36.0 | .450 | – | .708 | 11.7 | 2.7 | – | – | 20.7 |
| 1967–68 | Baltimore | 60 | – | 37.9 | .467 | – | .667 | 13.0 | 2.7 | – | – | 19.1 |
| 1968–69 | Baltimore | 49 | – | 34.1 | .459 | – | .717 | 11.6 | 2.0 | – | – | 17.9 |
| 1969–70 | Baltimore | 78 | – | 37.4 | .451 | – | .724 | 13.9 | 3.4 | – | – | 17.3 |
| 1970–71 | Baltimore | 66 | – | 38.5 | .453 | – | .738 | 17.1 | 2.9 | – | – | 18.2 |
| 1971–72 | Baltimore | 39 | – | 17.1 | .383 | – | .683 | 5.8 | 1.3 | – | – | 6.4 |
| 1972–73 | Phoenix | 21 | – | 19.9 | .381 | – | .694 | 6.5 | 1.5 | – | – | 7.8 |
| 1972–73† | Indiana (ABA) | 50 | – | 15.1 | .441 | .190 | .738 | 4.9 | 1.2 | – | – | 6.0 |
| Career | 631 | – | 33.1 | .440 | .190 | .700 | 12.1 | 2.5 | – | – | 16.2 | |
| All-Star | 5 | 0 | 19.8 | .429 | – | .760 | 7.0 | 1.2 | – | – | 13.4 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Baltimore | 10 | – | 37.7 | .358 | – | .739 | 11.1 | 3.4 | – | – | 15.8 |
| 1966 | Baltimore | 1 | – | 8.0 | .250 | – | – | .0 | .0 | – | – | 2.0 |
| 1970 | Baltimore | 7 | – | 42.6 | .459 | – | .794 | 11.4 | 1.3 | – | – | 18.4 |
| 1971 | Baltimore | 11 | – | 33.2 | .422 | – | .745 | 10.4 | 2.7 | – | – | 13.0 |
| 1972 | Baltimore | 5 | – | 15.4 | .300 | – | 1.000 | 5.0 | .6 | – | – | 4.0 |
| 1973† | Indiana (ABA) | 17 | – | 10.8 | .254 | .000 | .750 | 4.1 | .9 | – | – | 2.5 |
| Career | 51 | – | 25.7 | .380 | .000 | .759 | 7.8 | 1.8 | – | – | 9.7 | |
See also
In Spanish: Gus Johnson para niños
