Johnny Neumann facts for kids
Neumann, in 1974.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 11, 1950 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | April 23, 2019 (aged 68) Oxford, Mississippi, U.S. |
| High school | Overton (Memphis, Tennessee) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Ole Miss (1970–1971) |
| NBA Draft | 1973 / Round: 6 / Pick: 98th overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Pro career | 1971–1982 |
| Coaching career | 1982–2017 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1971–1974 | Memphis Pros / Tams |
| 1974 | Utah Stars |
| 1974 | Virginia Squires |
| 1974–1975 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1975 | Virginia Squires |
| 1975–1976 | Kentucky Colonels |
| 1976 | Buffalo Braves |
| 1976–1977 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1977 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1978–1979 | Gabetti Cantù |
| 1980–1982 | Saturn Köln |
| As coach: | |
| 1982–1984 | Maine Lumberjacks / Bay State Bombardiers |
| 1986–1987 | RBC Pepinster |
| 1987–1989 | PAOK Thessaloniki |
| 1989–1990 | Pagrati Athens |
| 1991–1992 | Louisville Shooters |
| 1992–1993 | Iraklis Thessaloniki |
| 1993–1994 | Pezoporikos |
| 1994–1995 | AEK Larnaca |
| 1997–1998 | APOEL |
| 1998 | Hapoel Tel Aviv |
| 1999–2000 | Youngstown Hawks |
| 2000 | Kazma Sport Club |
| 2001–2002 | Lebanon |
| 2003–2004 | Al-Hilal Riyadh |
| 2005 | Al Ittihad |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As head coach:
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| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,022 (13.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,234 (2.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,345 (3.0 apg) |
Carl John Neumann (born September 11, 1950 – died April 23, 2019) was an American professional basketball player and coach. People often called him "Johnny Reb". He was 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds. Johnny played as a shooting guard or small forward on the basketball court.
Contents
Johnny Neumann's Early Basketball Career
High School and College Achievements
Johnny Neumann was a star player at Overton High School in Memphis. After high school, he went to the University of Mississippi. He played basketball there from 1969 to 1971.
During his second year, Johnny was amazing. He scored an average of 40.1 points per game, which was the highest in the NCAA. Some even compared him to the famous player Pete Maravich. He scored 63 points in one game against Louisiana State University. In another game against Baylor University, he scored 60 points.
At the end of that season, Johnny received many awards. He was named an All-America player. He also won the SEC Player of the Year award.
Years later, in 2016, Johnny Neumann went back to Ole Miss. He finished his college degree there. After getting his degree, he started coaching again. He was also honored as part of the 2016 SEC Legends class. Johnny still holds the record for most points scored in a single season at Ole Miss, with 923 points.
Johnny Neumann's Professional Playing Career
Starting in the ABA with Memphis
After his second year of college, Johnny Neumann made history. He was the first player to sign a "hardship clause" contract. This meant he could turn professional early. He signed a five-year, $2 million contract with the Memphis Pros in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Later, the Chicago Bulls picked him in the 6th round of the 1973 NBA draft.
Johnny's professional career started very well in Memphis. He averaged 18.3 points per game in his first full season. In his second season, he averaged 19.6 points per game. He was even named to the ABA All-Rookie Team in 1972.
However, his coaches and team management thought he didn't pass the ball enough. Because of this, the Memphis Tams traded him in January 1974. He went to the Utah Stars.
Playing for the Utah Stars
In his first year with the Utah Stars, Johnny's team did very well. They won the ABA Western Division. They also won against the San Diego Conquistadors and the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs. This led them to the ABA Championship series.
However, they lost the 1974 ABA Finals to the New York Nets. Even though the team was successful, Johnny's scoring went down. He averaged 10.1 points per game in 44 games with the Stars.
Moving to Other ABA Teams
In August 1974, the Stars traded Johnny to the Virginia Squires. He only played four games with them. Then, in November 1974, the Indiana Pacers bought his rights. He averaged 8.3 points per game with the Pacers.
Johnny finished the 1974–75 season with Indiana. In March 1975, the Virginia Squires bought his rights back. He averaged 16.6 points per game for Virginia during the 1975–76 season. But in January 1976, he was traded again.
Joining the Kentucky Colonels
In January 1976, Johnny was traded to the Kentucky Colonels. He averaged 10.1 points per game with them. The Colonels beat the Indiana Pacers in the quarterfinals. They then played a tough seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets. The Colonels lost this series in the 1976 ABA Semifinals.
Time in the NBA
In June 1976, the ABA and NBA leagues joined together. Johnny Neumann ended up playing for the Buffalo Braves. From 1976 to 1978, Johnny played 83 games in the NBA. He played for the Braves, Los Angeles Lakers, and again for the Indiana Pacers.
His last season in the United States was 1977–78 with the Pacers. He averaged 4.2 points per game that year.
Playing Basketball in Europe
After leaving the NBA, Johnny Neumann went to Europe to play. He played in the Italian A League for Gabetti Cantù in 1978–79. Then, he played in the German Federal League for Saturn Köln from 1980 to 1982.
Johnny Neumann's Coaching Career
Johnny Neumann started his coaching career while playing in Germany. This was the first of many coaching jobs for him. He coached in many different countries. These included Belgium, Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan.
He also coached in American minor leagues. He led the Maine Lumberjacks in the Continental Basketball Association. He also coached the Louisville Shooters in the Global Basketball Association in 1991 and 1992. While coaching in Cyprus, he found Darrell Armstrong. Armstrong was a lesser-known player who later became successful in the NBA.
On June 23, 2010, Johnny Neumann became the head coach of the Romanian national team. After getting his degree from Ole Miss, he hoped to work as a sports analyst. However, those jobs did not happen. To keep coaching, he worked as an assistant coach at South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi.
Johnny Neumann's Later Life and Death
Johnny Neumann had health problems for many years. By 2018, his health got much worse. Doctors found that he had a brain tumor. Even after surgery, he continued to struggle.
Johnny Neumann passed away in Oxford, Mississippi, on April 23, 2019. He died after fighting brain cancer. His ashes were placed in a secret spot. This place was near some of his most important basketball achievements.
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 60 or more points in a game
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season scoring leaders
