John Johnson (basketball)
Encyclopedia
John Howard Getty "J.J." Johnson (born October 18, 1947 in Carthage, Mississippi
) is a former American basketball
player.
Johnson was a 6’7” small forward
who played high school basketball at Messmer High School, (Milwaukee, Wisconsin
) and collegiately for Northwest College
in Powell, Wyoming
and for the University of Iowa
. Johnson set an Iowa record for points in a season during his senior year, when he averaged 27.9 points per game.
Johnson was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
with the 7th pick of the 1970 NBA Draft
. Johnson was also selected in the 1970 ABA Draft by the Texas Chaparrals.
Johnson went on to have a productive twelve-year NBA career with four teams, making two NBA All-Star Game appearances and scoring 11,200 career points. He also won an NBA championship
ring as a key contributor for the 1978-1979 Seattle SuperSonics
, where he was reunited with former Iowa Hawkeye teammate Fred Brown.
He is also credited with being the first point forward
.
His son, Mitch, played on the Stanford University
basketball team from 2005 to 2008.
Carthage, Mississippi
Carthage is a city in Leake County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,637 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Leake County....
) is a former American basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
Johnson was a 6’7” small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
who played high school basketball at Messmer High School, (Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
) and collegiately for Northwest College
Northwest College
Northwest College is a public two-year residential college located in Powell, Wyoming, 70 miles from Yellowstone National Park.-External links:*...
in Powell, Wyoming
Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 5,373 at the 2000 census. Powell is an All-America City and home to Northwest College.-Geography:Powell is located at ....
and for the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. Johnson set an Iowa record for points in a season during his senior year, when he averaged 27.9 points per game.
Johnson was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
with the 7th pick of the 1970 NBA Draft
1970 NBA Draft
The 1970 NBA Draft was the 24th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 23, 1970 before the 1970–71 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
. Johnson was also selected in the 1970 ABA Draft by the Texas Chaparrals.
Johnson went on to have a productive twelve-year NBA career with four teams, making two NBA All-Star Game appearances and scoring 11,200 career points. He also won an NBA championship
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
ring as a key contributor for the 1978-1979 Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, where he was reunited with former Iowa Hawkeye teammate Fred Brown.
He is also credited with being the first point forward
Point forward
Point forward is an unofficial playing position in basketball for those who share the attributes of both a point guard and a forward.A point forward is usually described as a forward who possesses the ball handling skills and court vision to bring the ball up the court and to initiate the team's...
.
His son, Mitch, played on the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
basketball team from 2005 to 2008.