Steve Johnson (basketball) facts for kids
Johnson as a freshman at OSU
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 3, 1957 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school | San Gorgonio (San Bernardino, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Oregon State (1976–1981) |
| NBA Draft | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall |
| Selected by the Kansas City Kings | |
| Pro career | 1981–1991 |
| Career history | |
| 1981–1984 | Kansas City Kings |
| 1984–1985 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1985–1986 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986–1989 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1989–1990 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1990 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1990–1991 | Golden State Warriors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 7,345 (11.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,450 (5.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 777 (1.2 apg) |
Clarence Stephen "Steve" Johnson (born November 3, 1957) is a former American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a power forward and center.
Contents
College Basketball Career
Steve Johnson played college basketball at Oregon State University. His coach was Ralph Miller, who is now in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Steve was the main player on the 1980–81 team, known as the "Orange Express."
That team became the number one ranked team in the country. However, they were surprisingly defeated in the second round of the 1981 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. They lost to Kansas State.
During that season, Steve made 235 out of 315 field goals. This means he scored on 74.6% of his shots. This was an amazing record for college men's basketball for many years. It was the highest field goal percentage in NCAA history until 2017.
Playing in the NBA
After college, Steve Johnson was chosen as the seventh player in the 1981 NBA draft. He was picked by the Kansas City Kings. He played for the Kings from 1981 to 1984.
Moving to New Teams
After his time with the Kings, Steve was traded to the Chicago Bulls. He played for the Bulls for a season and a half. Then, he played one season with the San Antonio Spurs. While with the Spurs, Steve was the best in the league at field goal percentage. He made 63.2% of his shots, which is one of the highest percentages in NBA history.
In 1986, Steve was traded again, this time to the Portland Trail Blazers. The team wanted him to play power forward. But their main center, Sam Bowie, got injured early in the season. So, Steve had to move to the center position.
Best Season with Portland
On November 26, 1986, Steve had his best game ever. He scored 40 points and also got 10 rebounds. That year, he had his best season overall. He scored almost 17 points per game and made 55.5% of his shots.
The next season, Sam Bowie got injured again. Steve became the starting center once more. But then Steve himself got hurt. Another player, Kevin Duckworth, took his place and played so well that he kept the job.
Even though he was injured, Steve was chosen for the Western Conference All-Star team in 1988. But he couldn't play because of his injury. After the 1988–89 season, Steve was picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a special draft for new teams. He was not happy about this. He played only four games for the Timberwolves before being traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. He played 21 games for Seattle that season.
Steve played 24 games for the Golden State Warriors the next year. He retired from basketball after the 1990–91 season.
Records and Achievements
Steve Johnson still holds the NCAA records for the highest field goal percentage in a single season and for a whole career. He was also known for getting many personal fouls during some NBA seasons.
Life After Basketball
After he stopped playing basketball, Steve Johnson stayed in Portland. He now works with an organization called The Best of Yachting. He also invests in businesses in the Portland area.
See also
In Spanish: Steve Johnson (baloncestista) para niños
- List of NBA career field goal percentage leaders
