30 Facts About Dennis Johnson

Dennis Johnson was a coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and an alumnus of Dominguez High School, Los Angeles Harbor College and Pepperdine University.

Dennis Johnson eventually led the Sonics to their only NBA championship in 1979 winning the Finals MVP Award.

Dennis Johnson was voted into five All-Star Teams, one All-NBA First and one Second Team, and nine consecutive All-Defensive First and Second Teams.

Apart from his reputation as a defensive stopper, Dennis Johnson was known as a clutch player who made several decisive plays in NBA playoffs history.

Dennis Johnson is considered by several sports journalists to be one of the most underrated players of all time.

Dennis Wayne Johnson was born the eighth of sixteen children, to a social worker and a bricklayer who lived in Compton, California, a suburb of Los Angeles.

Dennis Johnson gave up his jobs and developed into a promising young guard, averaging 18.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game and leading Harbor to a college junior state title.

Dennis Johnson chose the latter, and in his only year there, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, and developed a reputation for tough defense.

NBA teams were wary of drafting a player with character issues, and Dennis Johnson was known to be a troublemaker.

Dennis Johnson later acknowledged that he simply "choked"; he vowed never to repeat this again and credited this game as an important lesson to become a better player.

Dennis Johnson further established himself as a quality player in Phoenix.

Dennis Johnson played in two All-Star Games, was voted into three consecutive All-Defensive First Teams and earned his only All-NBA First Team appearance.

Dennis Johnson's situation deteriorated towards the end of his career at Phoenix.

Dennis Johnson joined a squad that included Hall of Fame forwards Larry Bird and Kevin McHale and Hall of Fame center Robert Parish, a trio that has been described as the best NBA frontcourt of all time.

Dennis Johnson described joining the Celtics as a "dream come true" and enjoyed the tutelage of highly successful general manager Auerbach, who was "living history" according to Dennis Johnson.

Dennis Johnson described this loss as one of the toughest in his career, because the Celtics were "close [to winning the series]", but "could not get the job done".

Dennis Johnson played strong defense again, earning yet another appearance on the All-Defensive First Team, and the Celtics embarked on a nail-biting playoff campaign.

The now 35-year-old playmaker relinquished his starting point guard role to younger John Bagley, but when Bagley dislocated his shoulder, Dennis Johnson returned with a high level of performance and was lovingly called "our glue man" by coach Jimmy Rodgers.

Dennis Johnson retired after the Celtics did not offer him a new contract at the beginning of the 1991 season.

Dennis Johnson later worked as a scout for the Portland Trail Blazers, and in 2004 he was named head coach of the NBA Development League's Florida Flame.

Dennis Johnson became head coach of the NBA Development League's Austin Toros the following season holding the position until his death two years later.

NBA legend George Gervin said in a podcast with journalist Bill Simmons that Dennis Johnson was the hardest defender he ever played against.

Dennis Johnson said he would always be a Boston Celtic, and remarked that seeing his number in the rafters gave him a "special feeling".

However, Dennis Johnson did not live to see an induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a fact that has been a considerable point of debate with sports journalists.

Dennis Johnson was married to Donna, his wife of 31 years, and had three children named Dwayne, Denise, and Daniel.

Dennis Johnson was known for his appearance: he had freckles and red-tinged hair.

Dennis Johnson's brother, Joey, is a former Arizona State Sun Devils basketball star.

On October 20,1997, Dennis Johnson was arrested and detained overnight for allegedly holding a knife to his wife's throat and threatening his 17-year-old son.

Dennis Johnson was later charged with aggravated assault and was ordered to stay away from his family.

On February 22,2007, at the Austin Convention Center, Dennis Johnson had a heart attack and collapsed at the end of the Austin Toros' practice.