Phil Johnson (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Phil D. Johnson is a former College basketball
player and a former basketball coach. He played college basketball at Utah State University
and Weber State, and has coached collegiately at Weber State University
.
Phil D. Johnson, a native of Grace, Idaho
, began his sports career at Utah State University. While pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical education, he lettered in both track and basketball. As a graduate student, he served as assistant coach to LaDell Anderson. He went on to work as assistant coach under Dick Motta at Weber State University.
He has served as head coach for two different National Basketball Association
teams. He was the head coach for the Sacramento Kings
in three different locations — Sacramento
, Kansas City
, and when the team split time between Kansas City and Omaha
; he also coached one game for the Chicago Bulls
.
Johnson assumed head coaching duties for the Kansas City/Omaha Kings midway through the 1973-74 season. The Kings finished the season at 33-49 (.402), but Johnson earned Coach of the Year honors the next season when he guided the team to an 11-game improvement at 44-38 (.537) and its first playoff berth in seven seasons. Johnson garnered 21 of 54 votes from media, defeating Al Attles (10) and K.C. Jones (5).
Johnson was an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz
from 1988 until his resignation on February 10, 2011, where he was named the NBA's top assistant coach, four times, by an annual survey of NBA General Managers (2002, 2004, 2007, 2010).
Johnson and his wife, Ann, are the parents of two children (Mitchel and Nathan) and have two grandchildren. They reside in suburban Salt Lake City.
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 and a former basketball coach. He played college basketball at Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
and Weber State, and has coached collegiately at Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
.
Phil D. Johnson, a native of Grace, Idaho
Grace, Idaho
Grace is a city in Caribou County, Idaho, in the United States. The population was 990 at the 2000 census.-History:The area of Grace was once inhabited by the Shoshone Indians. White settlement dates back to the mid-to-late 19th century. The Oregon Trail passed within of Grace...
, began his sports career at Utah State University. While pursuing a bachelor's degree in physical education, he lettered in both track and basketball. As a graduate student, he served as assistant coach to LaDell Anderson. He went on to work as assistant coach under Dick Motta at Weber State University.
He has served as head coach for two different National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
teams. He was the head coach for the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in three different locations — Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, and when the team split time between Kansas City and Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
; he also coached one game for the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
.
Johnson assumed head coaching duties for the Kansas City/Omaha Kings midway through the 1973-74 season. The Kings finished the season at 33-49 (.402), but Johnson earned Coach of the Year honors the next season when he guided the team to an 11-game improvement at 44-38 (.537) and its first playoff berth in seven seasons. Johnson garnered 21 of 54 votes from media, defeating Al Attles (10) and K.C. Jones (5).
Johnson was an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
from 1988 until his resignation on February 10, 2011, where he was named the NBA's top assistant coach, four times, by an annual survey of NBA General Managers (2002, 2004, 2007, 2010).
Johnson and his wife, Ann, are the parents of two children (Mitchel and Nathan) and have two grandchildren. They reside in suburban Salt Lake City.