The Boston Celtics are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers as the winningest franchise in NBA history. And, while most of that credit should go to the Bill Russells and Larry Birds, there were still plenty of players who contributed with top-notch hustle. Unfortunately, people don’t seem to talk about them as often as they deserve.
One of those players is Dennis Johnson, one of the best defensive guards of all time, a constant threat in the fast break, and one of the all-time greats in Celtics history. From his days struggling in high school to becoming a street-ball legend all the way to the basketball Hall of Fame, Johnson went down as one of the fiercest, most suffocating defenders to ever lace them up.
But even though most people remember him just for being one of the ultimate stoppers, there was a time when Johnson was also one of the league’s most explosive dunkers and scorers. His ability to turn the intensity up a notch and adapt to whatever the team and his coach asked of him made him one of the most unique players in the history of basketball. In the following paragraphs, we’re going to let you know about his story, his game, his career, and his shocking and tragic passing.
Dennis Johnson – Early Years And College Career
Dennis Johnson comes from a huge family. He was the middle child of sixteen children and not many people thought he was going to have a successful basketball career. Growing up in Compton, Johnson was a huge baseball fan and even played some Little League baseball, with basketball being not much more than just a hobby.
Johnson struggled to find any playing time at Dominguez High School’s basketball team, as he lacked the size and explosiveness to make much of an impact on the game. But after graduating high school, he grew from 5’9” to 6’3” and developed his signature “rocket launcher legs” which allowed him to dominate both sides of the glass.
Johnson became a bit of a street basketball legend and got Jim White’s attention right away during an informal game. White was serving as a coach for the Los Angeles Harbor College, so he convinced Johnson to quit his low-pay jobs to enroll at college, helping them reach the college junior state title. That, however, would only be the beginning of Johnson’s college journey. He joined Pepperdine University and thrived with averages of 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds, helping them make the NCAA Tournament and turning a lot of heads in NBA front offices.
Dennis Johnson – Seattle Supersonics
Known for his tough defense, Johnson never thought an NBA team was going to give him a chance. Besides not being the biggest guy in the Draft pool, he had well-documented character issues and some teams were wary about giving him a chance. Fortunately, that didn’t stop the Seattle Supersonics from taking a risk on him and drafting him with the 29th pick of the second round of the 1976 NBA Draft.
Johnson didn’t enjoy that much playing time during his rookie season, backing up Slick Watts and Freddie Brown at both point guard and shooting guard. Then, following Lenny Wilkens’ appointment, Jhonson made it to the starting lineup and created a deadly duo next to Gus Williams. There, Johnson established himself as one of the league’s most explosive dunkers in the NBA.
With Johnson, the Sonics became perennial contenders, reaching the NBA Finals in 1978 but losing to the Washington Bullets in seven games. In that series, he broke the record for most blocks by a guard in an NBA Finals game, swatting seven shots, but to no avail. The Sonics got back on track next season, winning the Pacific Division in the regular season and then getting back at the Bullets in five games in the NBA Finals. Johnson received the ultimate honor that year, being named Finals MVP after averaging 23 points, six assists, and six rebounds per game.
He also made his first All-Star Game appearance and got his first All-Defensive First team that season. Johnson continued to be part of the heart and soul of the NBA Championship-winning team but his constant clashes with coach Wilkens eventually forced his hand and led to his final days in Seattle.
Dennis Johnson – A Trip To Phoenix
Johnson’s first stop after Seattle was Phoenix. The Sonics traded him for Draft picks and Paul Westphal, and it didn’t take long before he made an immediate impact in the desert. Under Johnson’s command, the Phoenix Suns reached the Western Conference Semifinals in his first two years with the team. But, like in the past, Johnson ended wearing out his coach and he was traded to the Boston Celtics.
Dennis Johnson – Joining Larry Bird And The Boston Celtics
All the past shenanigans gave Johnson a bad reputation around the league but his game spoke for itself. He was considered a ‘Money Player’, a guy who could be trusted upon when the game was on the line, and he was seen as a perfect complement for Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale. The Celtics needed Johnson’s defensive prowess to turn an already great team into a legendary squad, and that was exactly what they got.
Johnson didn’t hesitate to turn his game around again for the Celtics’ sake, establishing himself as a pass-first, defensive-minded kind of point guard rather than the explosive, aggressive dunker he was earlier in his career. During his days in Boston, Johnson won two NBA Championships in 1984 and 1986, putting together some of the most iconic games in the history of the Association. He never hesitated to get physical or do whatever his team needed to get past his rivals, as he proved by getting into Dennis Rodman’s face in the 1987–88 season when the Celtics faced the Pistons. He sure was heart over height, but that fire that drove his character was also what made him so special on the court.
Despite his troublemaker reputation, Bird once called Johnson the best teammate he ever had. Dennis Johnson retired after the Celtics didn’t make him an offer for the 1991 season, leaving career averages of 14.1 points, 5.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game on 44.5% from the floor.
Dennis Johnson – A Nightmare For The Los Angeles Lakers
Next to Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin Mchale, Johnson played a huge part in the two NBA Championships the Celtics won in his time there. He was often in charge of guarding Magic Johnson, who once deemed him the greatest backcourt defender of all time. While no longer posting Finals MVP kind of numbers, he completely shut down Magic Johnson in the 1984 Finals, later hitting a buzzer-beating in Games 4 and 5 of the 1985 and 1987 NBA Finals, respectively. He was an instrumental part of the team that went to battle with the Showtime Lakers, sealing a career that was destined to end in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Dennis Johnson – Coaching In The NBA Development League
Following his successful playing career, Dennis Johnson never walked away from the game. He joined the Celtics staff as a scout before pursuing a career as an assistant coach. Following a brief hiatus, Johnson was back on the bench as the Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach for four seasons. Johnson later served as interim head coach for the final 24 games of the 2002-03 season before leaving the work at the Portland Trail Blazers’ scouting department. Later in 2004, he was named head coach of the Florida Flame of the NBA Development League (now called G-League). Johnson joined the Austin Toros the following season and was their coach until his passing in 2007.
Dennis Johnson – Awards And Accolades
Dennis Johnson made a big case for being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame throughout his career. Over the years, the fierce defender became a five-time All-Star, made the All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Second Team, 6 NBA All-Defensive First Team, 3 NBA All-Defensive Second Team, was a 3-time NBA Champion, was named NBA Finals MVP, and had his no. 3 jersey retired by the Boston Celtics. He played 1,100 regular-season games and made 180 appearances in the playoffs.
Dennis Johnson – Net Worth
Dennis Johnson, a former NBA star and basketball Hall of Famer, had an estimated net worth of $3-5 million dollars at the time of his death in 2007. Most of his net worth came from the years he spent playing in the NBA, where he earned around $7.5 million during his career. He also earned additional income through endorsements, coaching and other basketball related opportunities.
What happened to Dennis Johnson?
Dennis Johnson suffered a cardiac arrest at the end of practice with the Austin Toros and was pronounced dead shortly after. He was just 52 years old. That was one of the most shocking deaths in recent NBA history, with former teammate Danny Ainge calling him one of the most underrated players of all time.
How long did Dennis Johnson play in the NBA?
Dennis Johnson entered the NBA in 1976 and retired in 1990. He spent four seasons with the Seattle Supersonics, three seasons with the Phoenix Suns, and seven years with the Boston Celtics. Besides making multiple All-Defensive Teams over his career, he also made five All-Star teams.
