Larry Johnson Biography

Larry Demetric Johnson, born on March 14, 1969, played ten seasons in the NBA as a power forward for the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks. He earned recognition as an NCAA champion and two-time NBA All-Star, and is honored in both the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame and College Basketball Hall of Fame. Johnson achieved national player of the year honors at the high school, junior college, and NCAA Division I levels during his rise in basketball. As a senior, he received the Texas Mr. Basketball award and was recognized as a consensus All-American and Mr. Basketball USA. Originally committed to Southern Methodist University, he transferred to Odessa College in Texas after a disagreement over his SAT score. Some analysts believed Johnson could have been a first-round pick in the 1989 NBA draft, potentially even in the lottery. He competed against future NBA stars Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony in the 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament final.