Larry Johnson (basketball, born 1969) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Larry Johnson

Johnson in 2008
Personal information
Born	(1969-03-14) March 14, 1969 (age 56) Tyler, Texas, U.S.
High school	Skyline (Dallas, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College	Odessa (1987–1989) UNLV (1989–1991)
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
2× NBA All-Star (1993, 1995) All-NBA Second Team (1993) NBA Rookie of the Year (1992) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1992) NCAA champion (1990) National college player of the year (1991) 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1990, 1991) 2× Big West Player of the Year (1990, 1991) 2x First-team All-Big West (1990, 1991) No. 4 retired by UNLV Runnin' Rebels 2× NJCAA Division I Player Of The Year (1988, 1989) USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1989) National high school player of the year (1987) First-team Parade All-American (1987) McDonald's All-American (1987) Texas Mr. Basketball (1987)
Career NBA statistics
Points	11,450 (16.2 ppg)
Rebounds	5,300 (7.5 rpg)
Assists	2,298 (3.3 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA World Cup Gold 1994 Canada Summer Universiade Gold 1989 Duisburg FIBA U19 World Cup Silver 1987 Bormio

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 was an NCAA champion in college. He was also a two-time NBA All-Star during his professional career. He is recognized in the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame. Larry Johnson was named national player of the year at three different levels of basketball. These levels were high school, junior college, and NCAA Division I.

Larry Johnson's Early Career

High School Star

Larry Johnson played basketball at Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas. In his final year, 1987, he was chosen for the McDonald's High School All-American Team. This team features the best high school players in the country.

College Days at Odessa

From 1987 to 1989, Johnson played for Odessa College in Texas. 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 ever 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's Championship Run

Johnson then moved to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He played for coach Jerry Tarkanian. With future NBA players Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, Johnson led UNLV to the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament championship. They beat the Duke Blue Devils 103–73. Johnson scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in that game. UNLV set records for the biggest win margin and highest score in an NCAA championship.

The next season, 1990–91, UNLV had a perfect regular season. They won all 27 games. Their average winning margin was 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 made it to the Final Four. However, they lost to 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. Even though he only played two seasons, Johnson ranks high in UNLV's history for points and rebounds. His jersey number 4 was retired by UNLV. In 2002, Johnson and his teammates Augmon and Anthony joined the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame.

Larry Johnson's NBA Career

Charlotte Hornets Era

The Charlotte Hornets picked Larry Johnson first overall in the 1991 NBA draft. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in his first season. In 1992, he also competed in the Slam Dunk Contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend.

In 1993, Johnson was voted to start in the 1993 NBA All-Star Game. He was the first Hornet 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, along with Alonzo Mourning, Muggsy Bogues, and Dell Curry, made the Hornets very popular. During this time, Johnson was known as "LJ" and "Grandmama." This nickname came from popular commercials for Converse shoes. He even appeared on the first cover of SLAM.

In October 1993, Johnson signed a huge contract with the Hornets. It was a 12-year, $84 million deal. However, he hurt his back in December 1993 and missed 31 games. That summer, he played for the U.S. national team (Dream Team II). They won the gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship.

After his back injury, Johnson changed his playing style. He improved his outside shot. In the 1994–95 season, he made 81 three-pointers. This was many more than in his first three years combined. He was also chosen for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game.

Later, Johnson and Alonzo Mourning had disagreements. This led to both players leaving the Hornets. Mourning was traded to the Miami Heat. After the 1995–96 season, Johnson was traded to the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks Years

In his first season with the New York Knicks, Johnson averaged 12.8 points. This was a career low for him. He never returned to his All-Star form, but he was a key player for the Knicks. He helped them reach the Eastern Conference championship in 1999.

During Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Johnson made a crucial play. He was fouled while shooting a three-pointer. He made the shot and the free throw, completing a four-point play. This play gave the Knicks a 92-91 victory.

On October 10, 2001, Larry Johnson announced his retirement from basketball. He retired early because of ongoing back problems. His scoring had decreased for three years in a row.

After Basketball

In 2007, Johnson said he was interested in working with the Knicks again. On December 21, 2007, he earned a bachelor's degree from UNLV. In 2012, the Knicks hired him for a role in basketball and business operations. Johnson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2014, he joined the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Larry Johnson in Film and Television

Larry Johnson appeared in a 1993 episode of the TV show Family Matters. He played his "Grandmama" character. 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 was one of the NBA stars whose basketball skills were stolen.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

See also

• In Spanish: Larry Johnson para niños