Neil Johnston
Encyclopedia
Donald Neil Johnston was an American Hall of Fame basketball
player at the center
position who played 8 years in the NBA from 1951 to 1959.
He led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons: 1952-53, 1953–54, and 1954-55. During the 1954-55 season
, he also won the league's rebounding title. Johnston played his entire career with the Philadelphia Warriors
, playing on their championship team in 1956. He played in six NBA All-Star Games, was an All-NBA First Team selection four times, and was an All-NBA Second Team selection once.
During his career, the 6 foot 8 inch Johnston was well known for his right-handed hook shot, which contributed to his leading the league in field goal shooting three times. Johnston was forced to retire after a serious knee injury in the 1958-59 season.
After his playing career, he coached the Warriors to a 95-59 winning record for the first two seasons of Wilt Chamberlain
's NBA career.
He attended Ohio State University
, where he starred in baseball
and basketball. Johnston signed a professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
out of college and pitched two and a half years for the Terre Haute Phillies of the Three-I League. With a 3-9 record halfway through his third losing season in 1951, Johnston decided to give pro basketball a try. With his manager, Jim Ward's assistance, he tried out for the Warriors at the team camp in Hershey, Pennsylvania
.
He was enshrined posthumously in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990, 31 years after his retirement.
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 at the center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
position who played 8 years in the NBA from 1951 to 1959.
He led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons: 1952-53, 1953–54, and 1954-55. During the 1954-55 season
1954-55 NBA season
The 1954–55 NBA season was the 9th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Syracuse Nationals winning the NBA Championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
, he also won the league's rebounding title. Johnston played his entire career with the Philadelphia Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, playing on their championship team in 1956. He played in six NBA All-Star Games, was an All-NBA First Team selection four times, and was an All-NBA Second Team selection once.
During his career, the 6 foot 8 inch Johnston was well known for his right-handed hook shot, which contributed to his leading the league in field goal shooting three times. Johnston was forced to retire after a serious knee injury in the 1958-59 season.
After his playing career, he coached the Warriors to a 95-59 winning record for the first two seasons of Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
's NBA career.
He attended Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, where he starred in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball. Johnston signed a professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
out of college and pitched two and a half years for the Terre Haute Phillies of the Three-I League. With a 3-9 record halfway through his third losing season in 1951, Johnston decided to give pro basketball a try. With his manager, Jim Ward's assistance, he tried out for the Warriors at the team camp in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
.
He was enshrined posthumously in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990, 31 years after his retirement.
External links
- Johnston's Basketball Hall of Fame page
- Neil Johnston on Find-A-Grave
- Neil Johnston statistics on Basketball-Reference (as a player)
- Neil Johnston statistics on Basketball-Reference (as a coach)
- Neil Johnston in the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
Further reading
- Alex Sachare, 100 Greatest Basketball Players of all Time (1997) ISBN 0-671-01168-5