Gus Johnson (basketball)
Gus (Honeycomb) Johnson Jr. (December 13, 1938 – April 29, 1987) was an American college and professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (NBA). A chiseled 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), 235-pound (107 kg) forward who occasionally played center, Johnson spent nine seasons with the Baltimore Bullets before he split his final campaign between the Phoenix Suns and ABA champions Indiana Pacers. He was a five-time NBA All-Star before chronic knee issues and dubious off-court habits took their tolls late in his career.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 13, 1938 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | April 29, 1987 (aged 48) Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Central (Akron, Ohio) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1963: 2nd round, 10th overall pick |
| Selected by the Chicago Zephyrs | |
| Playing career | 1963–1973 |
| Position | Power forward / small forward |
| Number | 25, 13 |
| Career history | |
| 1963–1972 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1972 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1972–1973 | Indiana Pacers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NBA and ABA statistics | |
| Points | 10,243 (16.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,624 (12.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,603 (2.5 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
Johnson was the prototype of the modern NBA power forward, a rare combination of strength, quickness, creativity and leaping ability who played with equal flair and ferocity at both ends of the court. Known for his frequent forays above the rim, he was among the first wave of great dunk shot artists in the game. He is known to have shattered three backboards on dunk attempts in his career.
Johnson went by the nickname of "The Honeycomb Kid", or "Honeycomb" for short, which was given to him by his University of Idaho coach. Early in his career, he had a gold star set into one of his front teeth, which was readily seen in his frequent smile. Because as Johnson once put it, a star deserved a star.
As a member of the Bullets, Johnson was voted to the All-Rookie Team for 1963–64, averaging 17.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times and to the All-NBA Defense First Team on two occasions. His number 25 jersey was retired by the Bullets franchise.
Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.