Gus Johnson : The Original Backboard Breaker

Gus Johnson was a must-watch player producing highlights at ease standing at 6'6 in full of muscle combined with speed becoming a frequent high flyer throwing down dunks hard on the break even breaking three backboards over his career being the first player to do so from dunking yet Johnson's gravity defying dunks were not the only thing that made him fun to watch as Gus Johnson regularly threw flashy passes to his teammates and can hit the mid-range jump shot with the best of them on top of having the capability to post up anyone with his strength however Johnson was not all flash as he did the dirty work as well rebounding at a higher rate and playing Elite defense guarding every position all of these elements combined saw Gus Johnson become a five-time Allstar four-time all NBA player and two-time all defensive team member while playing for the Baltimore Bullets helping them to their first postseason in franchise history and later to the NBA finals before consistent knee injuries caught up to him as injuries were the only thing to slow down Gus Johnson's career then ending his career in the ABA with the Pacers being an instrumental part of the team winning an ABA Championship coaching the Pacers to win in the finals as a player coach after slick Leonard got ejected and managed to slow down artist Gilmore game seven winning the series for the Pacers and retiring a champion this is a look back on Gus Johnson's Hall of Fame career Gus Johnson was born and raised in akan Ohio and growing up Johnson was a bit of a Drifter only really focusing on the Bible and basketball going on to attend Central High School to play his ball teaming up with the high school basketball teammate that would become a fellow future Hall of Famer as well in Nate Thurman creating a tough Duo to deal with resulting in Gus Johnson picking up a few college scholarship offers to play Gus Johnson would decide to attend akan initially but would quickly decide to drop out before the basketball season started going on to join an aaou team called the Cleveland Pipers who played in the National industrial basketball league where he played well and got spotted by a colleague of Idaho's head coach with Idaho soon offering Gus Johnson a scholarship which he accepted he would not be joining right away as he would attend Boise junor college to get his grades up to attend Idaho while at Boise Johnson played junior college ball tearing apart the competition averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds a game making his addition to Idaho very anticipated The Following season and Gus Johnson would not disappoint going on to be Idaho's best player right away posting averages of 19 points and 20.3 rebounds which was second in the NCAA John earned All America accolades and set multiple records in the rebounding category for Idaho even earning his nickname during this time honeycomb that stuck the rest of Johnson's career as Gus Johnson was given a nickname for his sweet style of play and sporting a gold star on his front teeth Johnson would help Propel Idaho to new heights going 20 and six however they missed the NCA tournament as there was less teams competing in the tournament back then compared to today after Johnson's lone season at Idaho he decided to turn pro looking NBA ready as he was one of the first players to be playing Above the Rim with his unique blend of strength speed and jumping capabilities while having the motor to back it all up and in the 1963 NBA draft in the second round with the 11th overall pick Gus Johnson was selected by the Baltimore Bullets Johnson was joining a bullets franchise in the early years of existence led by Walt Bellamy and Terry Dinger in Baltimore Gus Johnson quickly gained the trust of head coach slick Leonard and would become a starter being the bullet's third leading score on the team with 17.3 points a game and second on the team and rebounding at 13.6 while also looking like the team's best defender at times earning Gus Johnson First Team all rookie honors and finished runnerup for rookie of the year to Jerry Lucas the highlight of the year though for Johnson came against the Warriors as he shattered the backboard on a dunk and the fixup time was long lasting and the NBA implemented a new rule that you had to have a backup backboard on standby for games because of Gus Johnson in the end the bullet finished the season at 31 and 49 missing the Playoffs but the team looked to be steadily improving on the right path the offseason came around and the bullets made a blockbuster trade to speed up the timeline to the team's success trading Terry dishinger to the Detroit Pistons for Don o and biley how the additions of ol and how helped open up Gus Johnson's game as he improved his outputs to 18.6 points and 13 rebounds and he even broke another backboard this time against the Hogs and a close one on a dunk help Gus Johnson make his first All-Star appearance where he would leave his impact scoring 25 points in the game and grabbing eight rebounds then finishing the season strong making all NBA second team with the bullets going 37 and 43 making it into the playoffs for the first time in the team's history as the three seed the bullets in the playoffs got a series against the St Louis Hawks led by Bob Pettit zelm Mo Bey Bill Bridges Lenny Wilkins and Cliff Hagen the bullets had entered as underdogs but they' proceed to upset the Hawks 3 to1 won as Bob Pitt was banged up and not performing at his normal level of efficiency Gus Johnson's best individual game of the series was a 19.4 rebound game three helping the bullets to a victory the bullets making it into the Western Division finals met the Los Angeles Lakers headed by Jerry West Elgen Baylor Rudy laruso and Dick Barnett the bullets one could argue were a deeper team entering the series but Jerry West was on the other team and West proceeded to put up astronomical numbers in the series averaging 46.3 points a game as Jerry West helped push the Lakers to several close victories winning the series in six games Gus Johnson in his first postseason experience took on a smaller role as the team's fourth option behind Bellamy how and O still contributing highly on both ends adapting to the change averaging 15.8 points and 11.1 rebounds entering next season one would think the bullets would want to keep the core together after being one win away from a finals appearance but eight games in the bullets would trade away Walt Bellamy creating more responsibilities for players like Johnson however this would be a year of injuries for Gus Johnson as he would battle injuries in particular with his niece throughout the rest of his career Johnson this season suited up for 41 games averaging 16.5 points and 13.2 rebounds when he was healthy despite the limited time on the court Johnson's impact was enough to be second Team all NBA again but the bullets remained hurting with Bellamy being traded away and Johnson battling injuries yet remained somewhat of FL due to the emergence of Kevin lery going 38 and 42 making into the playoffs the two seed meeting the Hawks round one again who no longer had petted as he retired however Gus Johnson could barely go one game in this series and without Johnson the Hawks swept the bullets as Bill Bridges picked them apart the one game Gus Johnson played this postseason he played 8 minutes recording two points in the off season after the early exit the bullets decided to trade away bayy how and retool taking Jack Maron in the draft to fill his production Gus Johnson returned back healthy this season to become the team's leading score at 20.7 points per game while averaging 11.7 rebounds however o was not healthy throughout this time and Marin was good but no how resulting in the bullets going 20 and 61 missing the playoffs after the poor season the bullets selected well with their high draft pick taking Earl Monroe making all Expendable with the team trading him away mid year as Monroe was quickly becoming the team's go-to score with Johnson complimenting him well as his second option averaging 19.1 points and 13 rebounds making his second All-Star game but only suited up for 60 games missing a few games with injuries still which was enough to see the bullet slip out of the playoff picture ending at a 36 and 46 record in the NBA draft for the third year in a row the bullets selected well again taking Wes unseld who quickly became the team's best player and the best player in the league meanwhile Johnson looked good throughout the early parts of the Year comp complimenting Monroe and unel averaging 17.9 points and 11.6 rebounds becoming an All-Star for the third time however he only finish the season playing in 49 games picking up an injury ending his season without Gus Johnson the bullets took a slight dip but West unseld was pushing the team to new heights being the best player in the league at the time winning the MVP helping the bullets go at the time a franchise best 57 and 25 earning the one seed getting a round one matchup against the New York Knicks with Will Reed Walt Frasier Dave deuser Dick Barnett and Bill Bradley over the series the bullets looked like anything but the one seed getting swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks as Willis Reed carried them with Gus Johnson's absence from injury being a large reason for the sweep of the one- seated bullets Gus Johnson returned the following year bouncing back all healthy again averaging 17.3 points and 13.9 rebounds making another All-Star appearance all NBA second team again and his first all defensive first team all the while the bullets took a slight dip but still looked solid going 50 and 32 making the playoffs the three seat meaning the team who had sent them home in the playoffs round one the other year in the New York Knicks the bullets found themselves in an early 20 hole with New York winning both of its home games despite Johnson's best efforts game two with a game high 28 points back in Baltimore the series was tied back up rather quickly after strong showings from Monroe but back in New York it was the same taale losing in a blowout as Reed put up a 3030 game in Baltimore game six the bullets found success staving off elimination behind Gus Johnson's 31 points forcing a game seven in New York however the home Trend continued the Knicks W sending the bullets home packing Gus Johnson had almost helped the bullets pass the Knicks this time showing his importance in creating a wh if for the prior year as he averaged 18. four points and 11.4 rebounds over the series thus Johnson and the bullets had high expectations entering The Following season and Johnson delivered on his part averaging 18.2 points in a career-high 17.1 rebounds becoming an All-Star all defensive first team and second Team all NBA again but battled some injuries playing in 66 games but when he was healthy he managed to shatter the backboard again this time against the Bucks in a frustration on a dunk as his team was getting blown out despite Johnson seeming to be in full form the bullets as a whole could never seem to piece things together even though it had maintained the same core floundering through stretches losing winnable games going 42 and 40 still managing to make the playoffs through all the tribulations and round one brought a match up against the Philadelphia 76ers headed by Billy Cunningham Hal Greer and Archie Clark when the series started the bullets looked like the team from the prior year that had been missing the whole entire regular season jumping out to a 3-1 lead with with Johnson's best game being game three with a 17.16 rebound performance the bullets needing one more win to advance dropped the next two games as Billy Cunningham elevated his play creating a game seven where the stars of Philadelphia shined again but the bullets came through behind a well-rounded team performance with Johnson chipping in his part with 19 points to 17 rebounds advancing the bullets to the Conference Finals to face none other than the New York Knicks again in the playoffs entering the series Johnson had picked up an injury from the series prior having to miss the first five games of the series seeing the Knicks again take advantage of his abs since going up 3-2 but the bullets were still in it as Reed was not 100% himself game six Gus Johnson returned to action in a small role as the team's six-man not fully healthy trying to spark the bullets to Victory where he would and help the bullets tie up the Series game seven in New York was a place the bullets commonly struggled to win in the past found themselves in a physical battle that was tight but they would hold on to the lead late by two after another big game from Monroe and unseld the Knicks would have one final look to tie up the game getting the ball to Bill Bradley who took the shot but would be barely tipped by unseld sending the bullets into the NBA Finals finally getting past the New York Knicks in the playoffs in the finals the bullets face the Milwaukee Bucks with Kareem Abdul Jabar Oscar Robertson and Bob Dandridge unfortunately the bullets entered the series Without Gus John as his knees provided to be issues again hurting them as they needed all the Firepower they could get to compete with the Bucks Johnson who only could suit up for two games over the series was not at his all NBA form when he was resulting in the bullets getting swept by the Bucks as Jabar could not be stopped by anyone in the NBA at the time Gus Johnson's injuries created a big wh if again this postseason as he played in 11 games averaging 13 points and 10.4 rebounds over the Run run to the NBA finals entering next season the bullets would try to bolster the team to make a run back to the finals adding Phil shener through the draft in trading for Archie Clark early into the year however hopes of going back were quickly diminished because the bullets traded away Earl Monroe after not meeting his contract demands and Gus Johnson cannot bounce back from injury like he had the prior Years playing in only 39 games looking a shell of his former self the year prior averaging 6.4 points and 5.8 rebounds the bullets took a big step back Missing Johnson and trading away Monroe going 38 and 44 but still managed to make the playoffs round one again brought a series against the New York Knicks and surprisingly they kept the series close at times thanks to Clark's play but ultimately were overmatched by Walt Frasier losing four games to two Gus Johnson only went for five of the six games this series averaging four points and five rebounds in the off season the bullets would trade for Elvin Hayes and draft Kevin Porter all of which made the Aging of injur Gus Johnson Expendable ending with Gus Johnson being traded before the season started to the Phoenix Suns for a future pick that became Tom Patterson Phoenix had hoped Johnson could find his old form with them and he would slightly look better than the prior year averaging 7.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in his first 21 games but Johnson was not shooting it as efficiently anymore and the suns were struggling even going through a coaching change so the Phoenix Suns decided to wave Gus Johnson ending his season in the NBA just because his season in the NBA was over did not mean his basketball was as Gus Johnson as a free agent would sign with the Indiana Pacers of the ABA being recruited to play for the Pacers by his former head coach slick Leonard who had wanted Johnson to provide veteran leadership to its young Corp competing for a championship behind a deep Pacers team with George mcginness Mel Daniels Freddy Lewis Donnie Freeman Darnell Hillman and Roger Brown Gus Johnson on the floor became the Pacers backup power forward small forward playing in 50 of the remaining games to average six points in 4.9 rebounds and off the floor Johnson was being the locker room guy the Pacer had hoped for acting like a coach at times as the Pacers went 51 and 33 making the playoffs as the two seed round one the Pacers fa the Denver Rockets headed by Ralph Simpson where the Pacers quickly dispatched to the Rockets 4 to1 as the team depth of the Pacers could not be matched by Denver making it into the Western division finals to play the Utah stars with Willie wise zoby Ron Boone and Jimmy Jones the series would be a closer one than the prior being tied up after four games with mcginness and wise going back and forth before the Pacers eak out a victory game five with a good rounded team performance in Utah and then rode the momentum back at home in a game behind M Guinness to win the series forward to two advancing the Pacers to the ABA Championship to match up against the Kentucky Colonels who had an equally Star studed team as the Pacers with Aris Gilmore Dan Isel and Lou dampier the Pacers game one found themselves trailing late before Mel Daniels rallied off five straight baskets and then Roger Brown followed it up hitting a deep jumper to send the game to overtime and in overtime the Pacers held on late to a victory as Freddy Lewis drove to the rim and scored never looking back stealing game one in Kentucky Kentucky afterwards would respond winning the next two games as Gilmore commanded the colonels game four the series started to get hot and heated from the get-go with a fight breaking out between Rick Mount and Donnie Freeman and once the first half ended slick Leonard got ejected complaining to the refs about how the game was unfolding and who would step into to Phil slick Leonard's role as the head coach none other than Gus Johnson becoming a player coach where he got the Pacers motivated in particular Darnell Hillman who led Indiana to a narrow hard-fought Victory game five was another battle but the Pacers Trail late by one slowly working itself back into the game and the Pacers in the clutch went to their best player in George mcginness but he would fumble the ball out of the bounds on an entry pass seeming to lose the Pacers the game but the following play George mcginness made up for his error stealing the inbound pass taking it to the hoop himself for a dunk giving Indiana the victory in dramatic fashion game six it was thought to be that the Pacers were going to win the championship on home floor but again Kentucky bounced right back behind Gilmore winning the game forcing a game seven in Kentucky game seven the Pacers would change things up inserting Freeman into the starting lineup but more importantly stuck Gus Johnson Off the Bench to guard Gilmore who he would slow down just enough as mcginness was clicking winning the Pacers the ABA Championship Gus Johnson was a champion at last Johnson's impact over the Run may have not been shown in the Box Score as he averaged 2.5 points and 4.1 rebounds but the Pacers do not win a championship without Gus Johnson stepping in to coach the team in the finals to a victory and to guard Gilmore game seven after the season Gus Johnson decided to retire on top as a champion knee injuries had limited Gus Johnson to 10 years in the ABA and NBA where he averaged 16.2 points and 12.1 rebounds over his career later going on in retirement to get his jersey retired by the bullets and enter the NBA Hall of Fame in 2010 Gus Johnson will be looked back on as a player who was ahead of his time being one of the game's first High Flyers scoring for dunks while also having the strength the terror of the rim off literally doing so three times and coupled his strength with great speed making him electric to watch even throwing flashy passes and hitting jumpers with ease but Gus Johnson would do the dirty work as well including rebounding at a high rate and locking down any possession defensively all of which combined together helped Gus Johnson become a five-time Allstar four-time all NBA and two-time alld defensive team player with the Baltimore Bullets helping the team go all the way play the NBA Finals before consistent knee injuries caught up to Johnson ending his NBA career early then joining the Indiana Pacers of the ABA for one season being a large part in helping the Pacers win the ABA championship in particular with his defense game seven on arst Gilmore and stepping into coach for slick Leonard guiding the Pacers to a victory in the finals as a player coach Gus Johnson put simply did whatever the team demanded of him to win games thanks for watching this video on Gus career if you want to see any other videos about any other random players leave them in the comments below and it may or may not decide to do them who knows thanks again for watching this has been skid Denver