Johnny Moore (basketball) facts for kids

Johnny Moore (born March 3, 1958) is a former American professional basketball player. He was a talented point guard who played most of his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the San Antonio Spurs. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns. Johnny Moore's career was put on hold in 1986 due to a health issue.

College Basketball Career

Johnny Moore played all 112 games during his four years at the University of Texas at Austin. He became the Longhorns' all-time leader in assists, with 714 total. He still ranks second in assists per game, averaging 6.38 assists over his college career. In his final year, he averaged 8.34 assists per game, which is still a record for the UT men's basketball team.

Moore also scored double-digit points in each of his four seasons. After his senior year, he was named to the first-team All-Southwest Conference (SWC).

Winning Championships

As a junior, Moore helped his team, coached by Abe Lemons, have an amazing season in 1977–78. They finished with a 26–5 record, which was tied for the most wins in school history at that time. They also shared the Southwest Conference championship and won the 1978 National Invitation Tournament championship.

The next season, Moore helped Texas win a share of the SWC championship again. They also beat three teams that were ranked by the Associated Press Poll. The team went on to the 1979 NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed. They finished the season with a 21–8 record, marking the first time in 31 years that the Longhorns had two seasons in a row with 20 or more wins.

NBA Career Highlights

The Seattle SuperSonics picked Johnny Moore in the second round of the 1979 NBA draft. He was the 43rd player chosen overall. This was the second-highest draft spot for any basketball player from the University of Texas at that time.

Over his 520 games in the NBA, Moore averaged 9.4 points, 7.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.96 steals per game. He was known for his great passing and defense.

Amazing Records

Johnny Moore recorded 20 or more assists in three different games during his career. One of these games was during the playoffs, which is a rare achievement. Only seven players in NBA history have ever had 20 or more assists in a playoff game.

He also had two games where he made nine or more steals. This is also a very special achievement, as only about 50 different players have ever done this in an NBA game.

Moore's jersey number, "00", was retired by the San Antonio Spurs. This means no other player on the Spurs can wear that number, honoring his important contributions to the team.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Johnny Moore started coaching. He became an assistant coach for the Austin Toros in the NBA D-League during the 2010–11 season.

In December 2012, Moore became the head coach for the Corpus Christi Clutch. This team was part of the American Basketball League. However, most teams in that league, including the Clutch, did not last past the first season in 2013.

In the fall of 2013, Moore was named the head coach of the South Texas Stingrays. This was a new team in the ABA. The team's owner later decided to form a new team called the Central Texas Swarm (now known as the Am-Mex Swarm). Johnny Moore is currently the head coach of the Swarm.

See also

In Spanish: Johnny Moore para niños

• List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game
• List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game