Dennis Johnson
The defensive stopper who won Finals MVP and three NBA championships.
Dennis Wayne Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics in the NBA, and later coached the Los Angeles Clippers. Johnson was drafted 29th overall in 1976 by the SuperSonics and led them to their only NBA championship in 1979, winning Finals MVP. He won two more championships with the Celtics, was voted into five All-Star Teams, and made nine consecutive All-Defensive First and Second Teams. The Celtics retired his No. 3 jersey, and he was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
- Role
- Point Guard / Shooting Guard
- Affiliation
- Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns
- NBA Debut
- 1976
- Status
- Retired (Hall of Fame Class of 2010)
- Finals MVP
- 1979
- Championships
- 3
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Johnson overcame early struggles to have a successful NBA career. After being drafted 29th overall in 1976 by the Seattle SuperSonics, he began as a shooting guard. He led the Sonics to their only NBA championship in 1979, winning the Finals MVP Award. After three seasons with the Phoenix Suns, he became the starting point guard for the Boston Celtics, winning two more championships. Known as a defensive stopper, he retired with a 17.2% three-point shooting percentage, the lowest of any NBA player with at least 200 attempts. Johnson was a coach of the Los Angeles Clippers.
In Their Own Story
In the 1978 NBA Finals, Johnson blocked seven shots in a 93–92 Game 3 victory—the most blocks in NBA Finals history for a guard. However, in Game 7, he missed all 14 of his field goal attempts. Johnson later acknowledged he simply "choked" and vowed never to repeat it, crediting the game as an important lesson. The next season, the Sonics won the 1979 NBA Finals, with Johnson averaging almost 23 points along with six rebounds and assists per game. He scored 32 points in a Game 4 overtime victory and was named NBA Finals MVP.
Reader's Guide
Johnson played for the Seattle SuperSonics (1976–1980), Phoenix Suns (1980–1983), and Boston Celtics (1983–1990). He was a coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. In Seattle, he was a shooting guard known for aggressive slam dunking. In Phoenix, he played shooting guard and became the main scorer. In Boston, he changed to point guard, defined by playmaking. He was voted into five All-Star Teams, one All-NBA First Team and one Second Team, and nine consecutive All-Defensive First and Second Teams. The Celtics retired his No. 3 jersey, which hangs in TD Garden. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him posthumously in 2010.
Did You Know?
- Johnson was drafted 29th overall in 1976, the lowest drafted player to win Finals MVP until surpassed by Nikola Jokić (41st overall) and Jalen Brunson (33rd overall).
- He blocked seven shots in a 1978 NBA Finals game, the most blocks in NBA Finals history for a guard.
- Johnson's nickname 'DJ' was coined by play-by-play announcer Bob Blackburn to distinguish him from teammates John Johnson ('JJ') and Vinnie Johnson ('VJ').
- He retired with a 17.2% three-point shooting percentage, the lowest of any NBA player with at least 200 attempts.
- Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame posthumously in 2010.