Larry Johnson (basketball, born 1969) facts for kids
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Johnson in 2008
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | March 14, 1969 Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
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| High school | Skyline (Dallas, Texas) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1991 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Charlotte Hornets | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1991–2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1996 | Charlotte Hornets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2001 | New York Knicks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 11,450 (16.2 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 5,300 (7.5 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 2,298 (3.3 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Larry Demetric Johnson (born March 14, 1969) is a former American professional basketball player. He played as a power forward for the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks. Both teams are part of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Larry Johnson was an NCAA champion. He was also a two-time NBA All-Star. He is honored in the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Johnson was named a top player at high school, junior college, and college levels.
Contents
High School Basketball Career
Johnson played basketball at Skyline High School. This school is located in Dallas, Texas. In his final year, he was recognized as an All-American player. He also received the title of Mr. Basketball USA. Johnson was part of the 1987 McDonald's High School All-American Team.
College Basketball Journey
Playing at Odessa College (1987–1989)
Larry Johnson first planned to play for Southern Methodist University. However, he decided to attend Odessa College in Texas instead. He played there for two seasons, from 1987 to 1989.
As a freshman, he scored 22.3 points per game. In his second year, he averaged over 29 points per game. He became the only player to win the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 Player of the Year award twice. Some experts even thought he could have joined the NBA early.
UNLV Success (1989–1991)
Johnson then moved to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He played under coach Jerry Tarkanian. With teammates Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, Johnson led UNLV to the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament championship. They defeated the Duke Blue Devils with a score of 103–73. Johnson scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in that game.
UNLV set new NCAA records for the biggest win margin and highest score in a championship game. The team had a perfect 27–0 record in the 1990–91 season. They won games by an average of 26.7 points. This included a big win over the second-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.
In the 1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, UNLV reached the Final Four. They were upset by Duke, who went on to win the championship. Johnson was named a First Team All-American twice. He also won the Big West Conference Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1991. In 1991, he received the John R. Wooden Award and was named Naismith College Player of the Year.
Johnson is still ranked high in UNLV's history for scoring and rebounding. This is impressive since he only played two seasons. In 2002, Johnson and his teammates Augmon and Anthony joined the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional Basketball Career
Charlotte Hornets (1991–1996)
The Charlotte Hornets picked Larry Johnson first in the 1991 NBA draft. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in his first season. He also took part in the 1992 Slam Dunk Contest. He finished second in that exciting event.
In 1993, Johnson was chosen to start in the 1993 NBA All-Star Game. He was the first Hornet player to get this honor. He had his best season, averaging 22.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. This earned him a spot on the All-NBA Second Team.
Johnson, known as "LJ" and "Grandmama," was very popular. He appeared on the cover of the first issue of SLAM. He also had famous commercials for Converse. In 1993, he signed a large contract with the Hornets.
He sprained his back in late 1993 and missed many games. After this injury, he improved his outside shooting. In the 1994–95 season, he made 81 three-pointers. He was also selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game.
Johnson was traded to the New York Knicks after the 1995–96 season. This trade involved Anthony Mason and Brad Lohaus.
New York Knicks (1996–2001)
Johnson's scoring was lower in his first season with the Knicks. However, he was a key player for the Knicks' team that won the Eastern Conference championship in 1999. He took on a different role as other players became the main scorers.
During the Eastern Conference Finals, Johnson made a crucial four-point play. He was fouled while shooting a three-pointer and made the shot. He then made the free throw, giving the Knicks a 92–91 victory.
Johnson was also involved in the rivalry between the Knicks and the Heat. In 1997, he was suspended for a game after leaving the bench during a fight. In 1998, he got into a fight with former teammate Alonzo Mourning. Both players were suspended for a game.
On October 10, 2001, Johnson announced his retirement. He stopped playing basketball due to ongoing back problems.
Life After Basketball
In 2007, Johnson showed interest in returning to the Knicks in a leadership role. On December 21, 2007, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNLV. In 2008, he was inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame.
The Knicks hired him in 2012 for basketball and business operations. In 2014, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Larry Johnson converted to Islam. During the NBA season, he observed Ramadan, which is a holy month of fasting.
Film and Television Appearances
In 1993, Johnson appeared in an episode of Family Matters. He played his "Grandmama" character, who became Steve Urkel's teammate. Later that year, he was a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman.
In 1996, he appeared as himself in the movies Eddie and Space Jam. In Space Jam, he had a supporting role. He was one of the NBA stars whose basketball skills were stolen by aliens.
Images for kids
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Johnson in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Larry Johnson para niños
