 Johnson going for a layup withRobert Parish in the background | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1954-09-18)September 18, 1954 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 22, 2007(2007-02-22) (aged 52) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Dominguez (Compton, California) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1976: 2nd round, 29th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Seattle SuperSonics |
| Playing career | 1976–1990 |
| Position | Point guard /shooting guard |
| Number | 24, 3 |
| Coaching career | 1993–2007 |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1976–1980 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1980–1983 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1983–1990 | Boston Celtics |
Coaching | |
| 1993–1997 | Boston Celtics (assistant) |
| 1999–2000 | La Crosse Bobcats |
| 2000–2003 | Los Angeles Clippers (assistant) |
| 2003 | Los Angeles Clippers (interim) |
| 2004–2005 | Florida Flame |
| 2005–2007 | Austin Toros |
| Career highlights | |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 15,535 (14.1 ppg) |
| Assists | 5,499 (5.0 apg) |
| Steals | 1,477 (1.3 spg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
Dennis Wayne Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed "DJ", was an American professionalbasketball player for theNational Basketball Association's (NBA)Seattle SuperSonics,Phoenix Suns, andBoston Celtics. He was a coach of theLos Angeles Clippers and an alumnus ofDominguez High School,Los Angeles Harbor College andPepperdine University.[1]
A prototypical late bloomer, Johnson overcame early struggles[2] and had a successful NBA playing career. Drafted 29th overall in 1976 by theSeattle SuperSonics, Johnson began his professional career as ashooting guard. He eventually led the Sonics to their only NBA championship in1979 winning theFinals MVP Award. After three seasons with thePhoenix Suns, he became the startingpoint guard for theBoston Celtics, with whom he won two more championships. Johnson was voted into five All-Star Teams, oneAll-NBA First and one Second Team, and nine consecutiveAll-Defensive First and Second Teams.[3] Apart from his reputation as a defensive stopper, Johnson was known as a clutch player who made several decisive plays in NBA playoffs history.[1]
The Celticsretired Johnson's No. 3 jersey which hangs from the rafters of theTD Garden, the home arena of the team. TheNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame officially inducted Johnson to the Hall posthumously in 2010.[4] He is considered by several sports journalists to be one of the most underrated players of all time.[5][6][7]
Dennis Wayne Johnson was born the eighth of sixteen children, to a social worker and a bricklayer who lived inCompton, California, a suburb ofLos Angeles.[1] Originally a baseball fan and aLittle Leaguer,[2] Johnson learned basketball from his father, but seemed to have neither the size nor the talent to compete with his peers: as a teenager atDominguez High School, Johnson measured just 5'9" and played only "a minute or two each game".[1] After high school, he worked several odd jobs, including a $2.75-per-hour job as a forklift driver, and played with his brothers in summer league games after work. During this period, Johnson grew to a height of 6'3",[2] and developed what some later described as "rocket launcher legs", which enabled him to jump high to grabrebounds against taller opponents.[1]
Jim White, the coach atLos Angeles Harbor College, had watched Johnson playstreet basketball and felt that Johnson excelled in defense, so White asked him to enroll.[2] 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 junior college state title.[1] However, the young guard lacked discipline, often clashed with White and was thrown off the team three times in two years.[2]
At the end of his junior college career, two universities offered Johnson scholarships:Azusa Pacific University andPepperdine University.[1] Johnson chose the latter, and in his only year there, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game,[3] and developed a reputation for tough defense. After that year, Johnson made himself eligible for the1976 NBA draft, but was skeptical that any team would take him.[1] NBA teams were wary of drafting a player with character issues,[2] and Johnson was known to be a troublemaker.[citation needed]
TheSeattle SuperSonics took Johnson in the second round of the1976 draft with the 29th pick and gave him a four-year contract; he earned a salary of $45,000 in the first year and $90,000 in the last.[8] In his rookie year, the1976–77 NBA season, Johnson, playing backup to the experienced Sonics backcourt tandem ofSlick Watts andFred Brown, averaged 9.2 points and 1.5 assists per game.[3] The Sonics finished with a 40–42 record[9] and missed the1977 NBA Playoffs, leading head coachBill Russell to resign.[1] In the followingseason, the team lost 17 of the first 22 games under Russell's replacementBob Hopkins, who was replaced by Hall of Fame coachLenny Wilkens, who gave Johnson a starting spot and paired him with free-agent acquisitionGus Williams, a prolific scorer, with whom he formed a dynamic backcourt duo.[1][10] Johnson revelled in this new role, improving his averages to 12.7 points and 2.8 assists per game.[3] During this period Johnson playedshooting guard and was known for his aggressiveslam dunking, in contrast to the more cerebral roles he played later in his career.[5] It was at this time that Johnson's nickname "DJ" was coined by play-by-play announcerBob Blackburn, to help distinguish him from teammates,John Johnson andVinnie Johnson (whom Blackburn referred to as "JJ" and "VJ", respectively).[11]
Finishing strongly, the Sonics ended the regular season with a 47–35 record and made the1978 NBA Playoffs. After eliminating theLos Angeles Lakers, the defending championPortland Trail Blazers, and theDenver Nuggets, they almost defeated theWashington Bullets by taking a 3–2 lead in the1978 NBA Finals. In a 93–92 Game 3 victory, Johnson blocked seven shots—the most blocks in NBA Finals history for a guard.[12][13] The Sonics lost in seven games, however, partly because of Johnson's Game 7 scoring drought, in which the second-year guard missed all of his 14 field goal attempts.[8] 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.[2]
Johnson and the Sonics got their revenge in the1978–79 season. After clinching the Pacific Division with a 52–30 record,[9] the team met the Bullets again in the1979 NBA Finals. After losing Game 1, the Sonics won the next four games to take the finals series, helped by Johnson who averaged almost 23 points along with six rebounds and assists per game.[14] He scored 32 points in a Game 4 overtime victory, and was namedNBA Finals MVP.[1] It was during this season that Johnson established himself as one of the best guards in the league; he averaged 15.9 points and 3.5 assists per game, and made his first All-Defensive First Team and All-Star Game appearance.[3]
During thefollowing season, Johnson averaged 19.0 points and 4.1 assists, appeared in his second All-Star Game and was named to the All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Second Team.[3] The Sonics, however, lost in theWestern Conference Finals to the Lakers, who had Hall of FamersJamaal Wilkes,Magic Johnson andKareem Abdul-Jabbar. Because of the abundance of talent on the Sonics team, Johnson later called this loss one of the worst disappointments of his professional career.
Coach Wilkens grew tired of Johnson, who often clashed with him and was perceived as a growing liability to the team.[2][15] At the end of the season, Johnson was traded to thePhoenix Suns forPaul Westphal and draft picks. The Sonics' record was 22 games worse the next season despite, or perhaps because of, the addition of Westphal.[5]
Johnson further established himself as a quality player in Phoenix. In his three years as a Sun, Johnson averaged 14–20 points a game and provided tough defense. He played in two All-Star Games, was voted into three consecutive All-Defensive First Teams and earned his only All-NBA First Team appearance.[3] In this period Johnson, like in Seattle, played shooting guard and became the main scorer on the team, as opposed to being the second or third option as a Sonic.[5]
In the first two years of Johnson's stint, the Suns were fairly successful, reaching the Western Conference Semifinals both seasons. The Suns bowed out in the first round in Johnson's last year.[16] Johnson's situation deteriorated towards the end of his career at Phoenix. Like in Seattle, he often clashed with his coach,John MacLeod, and finally was traded by general manager,Jerry Colangelo, to the Boston Celtics forRick Robey and draft picks.[2] Like Seattle after Johnson's departure, the Suns finished 12 games worse in the next season despite the addition of Robey.[5]
Later in the height of Johnson's career, he would be one of multiple players implicated in a drug scandal that occurred during his time spent with the Suns, according to a mention by former teammateJohnny High, though Johnson vehemently denied usingcocaine or any other illicit drugs during that period of time.[17]
Between the1979–80 season and the1981–82 season, the Celtics had lost to thePhiladelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals two out of three times, mainly because physical Sixers guardAndrew Toney routinely caused problems for their defensively fragile backcourt. After subsequently getting swept by the Bucks in the 1982–83 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Celtics general managerRed Auerbach added the perennial All-Defensive Team member Johnson to his squad, hoping that Johnson would help the Celtics fare better in the Eastern Conference playoffs (particularly against the 76ers).[5] Johnson joined a squad that included Hall of Fame forwardsLarry Bird andKevin McHale and Hall of Fame centerRobert Parish, a trio that has been described as the best NBA frontcourt of all time.[18][19][20][21] 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 Johnson.[2]
With the Celtics Johnson changed his playing style for the third time in his career: after being known as aslam dunking shooting guard with the Sonics, and an all-around scorer with the Suns, he now established himself as apoint guard who was defined more by playmaking than scoring.[5] In his first year as a Celtic, he averaged 13.2 points and 4.2 assists and was elected to the All-Defensive Second Team.[3] The Celtics reached the1984 NBA Finals, where they met theLos Angeles Lakers, their intenserivals since the 1960s. The Celtics won 4–3, and Johnson took credit for playing smothering defense on Hall of Fame Lakers playmaker Earvin Johnson, limiting him to a sub-average 17 points in the last four games,[5] and being at least partly responsible for several of the Laker point guard's game-deciding errors in Games 2, 4 and 7. As a result, Magic Johnson was taunted as "Tragic Johnson" whenever the Lakers and Celtics played against each other.[22]
In the1984–85 season, Johnson continued playing smothering defense, earning his next All-Defensive Second Team call-up while averaging 16.9 points and 7.3 assists per game.[3] The Celtics met the Lakers in the1985 NBA Finals again. Johnson's big moment came in Game 4: when the score was tied at 105, teammateLarry Bird had the ball in the last seconds. Being double-teamed by LakersKareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, Bird passed to the open Johnson, and the guard sank a 19-ftbuzzer beater to win the game.[8] The Lakers, however, took their revenge this time, winning the series in six games, powered by venerable 38-year-old Finals MVP Abdul-Jabbar. 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".[2]
In thefollowing season the Celtics made the playoffs, helped by the performance of Johnson, who made the All-Defensive Second Team again while tallying 17.8 points and 6.7 assists per game.[3] After defeating theMilwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics reached the1986 NBA Finals against the up-and-comingHouston Rockets, led by the "Twin Towers" of centersRalph Sampson andHakeem Olajuwon. Led by Finals MVP Larry Bird, the Celtics beat the Rockets 4–2, and Johnson won his third title.[23]
The Celtics were unable to repeat their title in1987 despite several dramatic playoff victories. Johnson played strong defense again, earning yet another appearance on the All-Defensive First Team,[3] and the Celtics embarked on a nail-biting playoff campaign. In the1987 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Celtics split the first six games against theMilwaukee Bucks. In the deciding Game 7, which the Celtics won, Johnson had a spectacular play with 1:30 left in the game: a Celtics ball threatened to fly out of bounds, but Johnson dived for it and whipped it backward in mid-air against Bucks center and former Sonics teammateJack Sikma. The ball bounced off Sikma before going out of bounds, and the Celtics maintained possession.[5]
In the next round the1987 Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics faced theDetroit Pistons. The series was described as a grudge match between two intense rivals, featuring a great level of personal animosity,sharp rhetoric, and several physical altercations. The center of this feud was Pistons pivotBill Laimbeer, who brawled with Celtics players Bird and Parish.[24] In Game 5 Johnson was involved in a crucial play: down 107–106,Larry Bird stole the in-bounds pass by Pistons point guardIsiah Thomas with 5 seconds left and passed it to a sprinting Johnson, who converted a difficult layup with 1 second left in the game.[1] This play caused Celtics broadcasterJohnny Most to shout out one of his most famous calls:[25]
Now there's a steal by Bird! Underneath to DJ who lays it in! Right at one second left! What a play by Bird! Bird stole the in-bounding pass, laid it up to DJ, and DJ laid it up and in, and Boston has a one-point lead with one second left! Oh my, this place is going crazy!!!
According to Johnson this was his favorite play of all time.[2] Games 6 and7 also featured a feud, this time between Pistons forwardDennis Rodman and Johnson. In Game 6, which the Pistons won, Rodman taunted Johnson in the closing seconds by waving his right hand over his head. When the Celtics took Game 7, Johnson went back at Rodman in the last moments of the game and mimicked his taunting gesture.[5] In the1987 NBA Finals, however, the Celtics succumbed to the Los Angeles Lakers 4–2 as Lakers playmaker and Finals MVP Magic Johnson put up a great performance, averaging 26 points and 13 assists throughout the series.[22][26]
The next three seasons were disappointing for the aging Celtics. In the1987–88 season, Johnson averaged 12.6 points and 7.8 assists,[3] but in the1988 Playoffs, the Celtics were unable to beat theDetroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.[23] In thenext season, Johnson (who statistically declined to 10.0 points and 6.6 assists per game)[3] and his team made the1989 NBA Playoffs on a meager 42–40 record (largely due to the absence of star forward Larry Bird for almost the entire season), but were immediately eliminated in the first round (again, largely due to the absence of the injured Larry Bird).[23] The following1989–90 NBA season was Johnson's last. The now 35-year-old playmaker relinquished his starting point guard role to youngerJohn Bagley, but when Bagley dislocated his shoulder, Johnson returned with a high level of performance and was lovingly called "our glue man" by coachJimmy Rodgers.[27][28] In that season, Johnson started in 65 of his 75 games, averaging 7.1 points and 6.5 assists,[3] but the Celtics failed to get past the first round of the1990 NBA Playoffs.[29]
Johnson retired after the Celtics did not offer him a new contract at the beginning of the1991 season.[30] During his retirement ceremony, his perennial Los Angeles Lakers opponent Magic Johnson telegraphed him lauding him as "the best backcourt defender of all-time".[27] In addition Celtics colleague and tripleNBA Most Valuable Player award winnerLarry Bird called Johnson the best teammate he ever had.[1]
After retiring as a player, Johnson worked as a scout for the Celtics.[1] Johnson later worked as a scout for thePortland Trail Blazers.
In 1993, he became an assistant coach for the Celtics, a position he held until 1997.[27]
After spending several years outside the limelight, he returned as an assistant coach for theLos Angeles Clippers in 2000 and spent four seasons there. Johnson served as interim head coach after the departure ofAlvin Gentry for 24 games near the end of the2002–03 season.[27][31]
In 2004, Johnson was named head coach of theNBA Development League'sFlorida Flame.
Johnson became head coach of the NBA Development League'sAustin Toros the following season, holding the position until his death two years later.[27]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won anNBA championship |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976–77 | Seattle | 81 | – | 20.6 | .504 | – | .624 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 9.2 |
| 1977–78 | Seattle | 81 | – | 27.3 | .417 | – | .732 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 12.7 |
| 1978–79† | Seattle | 80 | – | 34.0 | .434 | – | .781 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 15.9 |
| 1979–80 | Seattle | 81 | – | 36.3 | .422 | .207 | .780 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 19.0 |
| 1980–81 | Phoenix | 79 | – | 33.1 | .436 | .216 | .820 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 18.8 |
| 1981–82 | Phoenix | 80 | 77 | 36.7 | .470 | .190 | .806 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 19.5 |
| 1982–83 | Phoenix | 77 | 74 | 33.1 | .462 | .161 | .791 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 14.2 |
| 1983–84† | Boston | 80 | 78 | 33.3 | .437 | .125 | .852 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 13.2 |
| 1984–85 | Boston | 80 | 77 | 37.2 | .462 | .269 | .853 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 15.7 |
| 1985–86† | Boston | 78 | 78 | 35.0 | .455 | .143 | .818 | 3.4 | 5.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 15.6 |
| 1986–87 | Boston | 79 | 78 | 37.1 | .444 | .113 | .833 | 3.3 | 7.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 13.4 |
| 1987–88 | Boston | 77 | 74 | 34.7 | .438 | .261 | .856 | 3.1 | 7.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 12.6 |
| 1988–89 | Boston | 72 | 72 | 32.1 | .434 | .140 | .821 | 2.6 | 6.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 10.0 |
| 1989–90 | Boston | 75 | 65 | 27.1 | .434 | .042 | .843 | 2.7 | 6.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 7.1 |
| Career[32] | 1,100 | 673 | 32.7 | .445 | .172 | .797 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 14.1 | |
| All-Star[32] | 5 | 0 | 19.6 | .541 | – | .864 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 11.8 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Seattle | 22 | – | 37.6 | .412 | – | .704 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 16.1 |
| 1979† | Seattle | 17 | – | 40.1 | .450 | – | .771 | 6.1 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 20.9 |
| 1980 | Seattle | 15 | – | 38.8 | .410 | .333 | .839 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 17.1 |
| 1981 | Phoenix | 7 | – | 38.1 | .473 | .200 | .762 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 19.6 |
| 1982 | Phoenix | 7 | – | 38.7 | .477 | .000 | .769 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 22.3 |
| 1983 | Phoenix | 3 | – | 36.0 | .458 | .000 | .833 | 7.7 | 5.7 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 18.0 |
| 1984† | Boston | 22 | – | 36.7 | .404 | .429 | .867 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 16.6 |
| 1985 | Boston | 21 | 21 | 40.4 | .445 | .000 | .860 | 4.0 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 17.3 |
| 1986† | Boston | 18 | 18 | 39.7 | .445 | .375 | .798 | 4.2 | 5.9 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 16.2 |
| 1987 | Boston | 23 | 23 | 41.9 | .465 | .115 | .850 | 4.0 | 8.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 18.9 |
| 1988 | Boston | 17 | 17 | 41.3 | .433 | .375 | .796 | 4.5 | 8.2 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 15.9 |
| 1989 | Boston | 3 | 1 | 19.7 | .267 | – | – | 1.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 |
| 1990 | Boston | 5 | 5 | 32.4 | .484 | .333 | 1.000 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 13.8 |
| Career[32] | 180 | 85 | 38.9 | .439 | .239 | .802 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 17.3 | |
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.A. Clippers | 2002–03 | 24 | 8 | 16 | .333 | 7th in Pacific | — | — | — | — | Missed playoffs |
| Career[33] | 24 | 8 | 16 | .333 | — | — | — | — |
In 1,100 games, Johnson scored 15,535 points, grabbed 4,249 rebounds and gave 5,499 assists, translating to career averages of 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.[3] Known as a defensive stalwart, he was elected into nine straight All-Defensive First or Second Teams.[3] NBA legendGeorge Gervin said in a podcast with journalistBill Simmons that Johnson was the hardest defender he ever played against.[34] Johnson is also acknowledged by the NBA as a "money player"[1] who was clutch in decisive moments, such as scoring 32 points for his team in a Game 4 overtime victory in the 1979 NBA Finals, playing smothering defense on Magic Johnson in the1984 NBA Finals, and converting a last-second layup in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals after aLarry Bird steal.[1]
Furthermore, Johnson is lauded by the NBA as a versatile all-around weapon who played with "contagious competitiveness"[1] and was known for his durability: in 14 NBA seasons, he played in 1,100 of a possible 1,148 games and participated in 180 playoff games, the latter figure the 11th highest number of all time.[5] At his retirement, Johnson was only the 11th NBA player to amass more than 15,000 points and 5,000 assists.[1]
On December 13, 1991, the Celtics franchise retired his number 3 jersey. Johnson said he would always be a Boston Celtic, and remarked that seeing his number in the rafters gave him a "special feeling".[2] However, Johnson did not live to see an induction into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a fact that has been a considerable point of debate with sports journalists.Bill Simmons ofESPN called his Hall of Fame snub an "ongoing injustice", stating that according to him,Joe Dumars – a Hall of Famer known for strong defense rather than spectacular scoring, like Johnson – was no better [a basketball player] than him.[5] Colleague Ken Shouler called Johnson "one of the first guys I'd give a Hall [of Fame] pass".[8] Contemporary Boston Celtics Hall of Fame forwardLarry Bird gave Johnson ultimate praise, calling him the best teammate he ever had in his autobiographyDrive,[1] which is especially significant considering Bird's teammates included Hall of FamersKevin McHale,Robert Parish,Bill Walton, andTiny Archibald.[35] On April 3, 2010,ESPN Boston reported that Johnson was posthumously elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.[36] This was officially confirmed two days later when the Hall released the list of 2010 inductees.[4]
On October 26, 2007, a learning center was dedicated in Johnson's name in the Central Branch of the YMCA of Greater Boston. The center was made possible by the donations and effort of Larry Bird and M.L. Carr. Johnson's family, Danny Ainge, Carr, and members of the YMCA and local community were present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Donna Johnson said on behalf of her husband, "If Dennis were alive he would really appreciate the thought and love the idea of the Learning Center."[37]
TheNBA G League Coach of the Year Award is named after Johnson.[38]
Dennis Johnson was married to Donna, his wife of 31 years, and had three children named Dwayne, Denise, and Daniel.[39] Johnson was also known for his appearance: he hadfreckles[40] and red-tinged hair.[41] Dennis's brother, Joey, is a former Arizona State Sun Devils basketball star. Johnson's nephews areNick, who appeared in 37 games with the2014–15 Houston Rockets after being drafted by them in the 2nd Round of the2014 NBA draft, and Chris, who appeared briefly in four games with the2013–14 Arizona Wildcats college basketball team.[42]
On October 20, 1997, Johnson was arrested and detained overnight for allegedly holding a knife to his wife's throat and threatening his 17-year-old son.[43] Johnson was later charged with aggravated assault and was ordered to stay away from his family.[44][45] The prosecutors dropped the case several months later after his wife declined to press charges.[46] Johnson reportedly went tocounseling to repair his marriage.[47]
On February 22, 2007, at theAustin Convention Center, Johnson had aheart attack and collapsed at the end of theAustin Toros' practice.[27] After being rushed to a nearby hospital, he could not be revived and was later pronounced dead. Johnson was surrounded by his wife and his children.[27] Johnson's death was met with shock throughout the NBA. Among others, contemporary Celtics colleagueDanny Ainge called him one of "the most underrated players of all time [...] and one of the greatest Celtics acquisitions,"[27] and one-time rivalBill Laimbeer called him "a great player on a great ballclub."[27]
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