Kevin Johnson (basketball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Johnson
55th Mayor of Sacramento
In office December 2, 2008 – December 13, 2016
Preceded by	Heather Fargo
Succeeded by	Darrell Steinberg
72nd President of the United States Conference of Mayors
In office 2014–2015
Preceded by	Scott Smith
Succeeded by	Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Personal details
Born	Kevin Maurice Johnson (1966-03-04) March 4, 1966 (age 59) Sacramento, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Michelle Rhee ​ (m. 2011)​
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley (BA)
Kevin Johnson (basketball) Personal information High school Sacramento (Sacramento, California) Listed height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Listed weight 190 lb (86 kg) Career information College California (1983–1987) NBA Draft 1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers Pro career 1987–1998, 2000 Career history 1987–1988 Cleveland Cavaliers 1988–1998; 2000 Phoenix Suns Career highlights and awards 3× NBA All-Star (1990, 1991, 1994) 4× All-NBA Second Team (1989–1991, 1994) All-NBA Third Team (1992) NBA Most Improved Player (1989) No. 7 retired by Phoenix Suns 2× First-team All-Pac-10 (1986, 1987) No. 11 retired by California Golden Bears Career NBA statistics Points 13,127 (17.9 ppg) Assists 6,711 (9.1 apg) Steals 1,082 (1.5 spg) Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA World Championship Gold 1994 Canada Team competition

Kevin Maurice Johnson is a famous American who was a professional basketball player and later became the mayor of Sacramento, California. He was born on March 4, 1966. He served as mayor from 2008 to 2016 and was the first African American mayor of Sacramento.

Before becoming a politician, Kevin Johnson played basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played as a point guard for the Phoenix Suns for most of his career. During his 12 years as a player, he was chosen for the NBA All-Star team three times. He also helped start programs to improve education in Sacramento.

Early Life and Education

Kevin Johnson was born in Sacramento, California, on March 4, 1966. His father passed away when Kevin was three years old. He was then raised by his grandparents.

Kevin went to Sacramento High School. He was a star player in both baseball and basketball. In his final year of high school, he was the top scorer in California for basketball. He was also named the Northern California Player of the Year.

Kevin received a scholarship to play basketball at the University of California, Berkeley. He played for four years and became one of the school's best players. He set records for assists, steals, and points. His jersey number, 11, was later retired by the university. This means no other player can wear that number.

Kevin also briefly played baseball for the university. He was even drafted by the Oakland Athletics baseball team in 1986. However, he decided to focus on basketball.

Basketball Career Highlights

Kevin Johnson was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1987. He was the seventh player chosen in the 1987 NBA draft. He played for the Cavaliers for part of his first year.

Joining the Phoenix Suns

In February 1988, Kevin Johnson was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He quickly became a key player for the team. He was even named the NBA Rookie of the Month in April 1988.

In his first full season with the Suns (1988–89), Kevin became one of the best players in the league. He averaged over 20 points and 12 assists per game. This made him one of only a few players in NBA history to achieve such high numbers. Because of his quick improvement, he won the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Kevin Johnson was selected for the NBA All-Star team in 1990, 1991, and 1994. He helped the Suns become a very strong team. From 1989 to 1995, the Suns won more regular season games than any other team in the NBA.

Playing in the NBA Finals

In the 1992–93 season, Kevin Johnson and his new teammate Charles Barkley led the Suns to an amazing 62 wins. They made it all the way to the 1993 NBA Finals. They played against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The Suns lost the series, but Kevin Johnson played very well. He even set an NBA record for playing 62 minutes in one game during the Finals.

Kevin Johnson was known for his strong play in the playoffs. In 1994, he averaged 26.6 points and 9.6 assists per game. He once made a famous dunk over Hakeem Olajuwon, a legendary center. This play became a highlight that people still remember.

International Play and Retirement

In 1994, Kevin Johnson joined the United States men's national basketball team, also known as Dream Team II. They won the gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship. Kevin led the team in assists during the tournament.

Kevin Johnson retired from basketball after the 1997–98 season. However, he came back briefly in the 1999–2000 season to help the Suns in the playoffs. He helped them win their first playoff series in five years. After that, he retired for good.

In 2001, the Phoenix Suns retired Kevin Johnson's No. 7 jersey. This was a great honor, and he was added to their Ring of Honor.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

St. HOPE: Helping the Community

In 1989, while still playing in the NBA, Kevin Johnson started an organization called St. HOPE. Its name means "Helping Others Pursue Excellence." It began as an after-school program for kids in his old neighborhood of Oak Park in Sacramento.

St. HOPE grew into a larger non-profit group. It focused on improving communities through education, leadership, and economic growth. Kevin Johnson was the CEO of St. HOPE until 2008.

Community Development Projects

St. HOPE helped renovate many buildings in Oak Park. For example, an old bank building became a U.S. Bank branch. They also turned a historic house into office space. A large art gallery and retail complex was also created. This included the Guild Theater and the 40 Acres Art Gallery.

Improving Schools with St. HOPE

St. HOPE Public Schools runs a system of charter schools for students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. They teach almost 2,000 students in seven small schools.

One important school St. HOPE helped was Sacramento Charter High School (Sac High). Kevin Johnson and his family had attended this school. In 2002, Sac High was struggling with low test scores. Kevin Johnson raised money from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help. In 2003, Sac High reopened as a charter school. Since then, student performance has improved a lot.

The success of St. HOPE even led to it expanding to New York. The St. HOPE Leadership Academy Charter School opened in Harlem in 2008.

Becoming Mayor of Sacramento

Johnson at a mayoral rally in May 2008

On March 5, 2008, Kevin Johnson announced he would run for mayor of Sacramento. He challenged the current mayor, Heather Fargo. The election was on June 3, 2008.

No candidate won more than 50% of the votes in the first election. So, Kevin Johnson and Heather Fargo had a second election, called a runoff. Kevin Johnson won the runoff election in November 2008. He became the 55th mayor of Sacramento.

2008 Primary Election Results

2008 Runoff Election Results

Mayor's First Term Initiatives

Mayor Kevin Johnson at the 2010 Sacramento Grand Prix bike race

As mayor, Kevin Johnson started many new programs. Here are some of them:

• Volunteer Sacramento: This program encouraged people to volunteer in the city. Sacramento volunteers logged millions of hours of service.
• For Arts' Sake: This program aimed to support local art in Sacramento. The city was chosen to be the first in the nation to try the "Any Given Child" program. This program helps all children get access to art education.
• Sacramento Steps Forward: This initiative worked to help people who were experiencing homelessness. Thousands of households found permanent housing through this program.
• STAND UP and Sacramento READS!: These were education programs to help students succeed. STAND UP raised money for school improvements. Sacramento READS! aimed to make sure all children could read well by the end of 3rd grade.
• Greenwise: This program focused on making Sacramento more environmentally friendly. The city aimed to reduce energy use by 20% by 2020.
• Think Big: This initiative worked on developing Sacramento's economy. It included plans for a new sports complex and developing the downtown Railyards.
• Gang Prevention Task Force: This program worked to reduce gang violence. It offered school-based and job-training programs.

2012 Re-election as Mayor

Kevin Johnson ran for re-election as Mayor of Sacramento on September 14, 2011. The election was held on June 5, 2012. He ran against three other candidates. Kevin Johnson won with more than 50% of the votes, so no runoff election was needed.

2012 Primary Election Results

Leadership and Awards

In 2012, Kevin Johnson was elected as a leader in the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM). He later became the president of this group in 2014. He was the first mayor from Sacramento to hold this important position.

Kevin Johnson has received many awards for his work in the community. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush honored him for his care for children and education. He also received the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. This award recognizes players who show great service to their community. He was also inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Kevin Johnson married Michelle Rhee on September 3, 2011. Michelle Rhee was the former Chancellor of the District of Columbia School System.

See also

• List of NBA franchise career scoring leaders
• List of NBA career assists leaders
• List of NBA career playoff assists leaders
• List of NBA single-game assists leaders
• List of NBA single-game steals leaders
• List of first African-American mayors
• African American mayors in California