{{Short description|American basketball player and coach}} {{for-multi|the Bermudian diver|Mickey Johnson (diver)|other people with similar names|Michael Johnson (disambiguation){{!}}Michael Johnson}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Mickey Johnson | image = Mickey Johnson 2015 (cropped).jpg | width = | caption = Johnson at a Summer 2015 youth clinic | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 10 | weight_lb = 190 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|08|31}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | high_school = {{nowrap|Lindblom Technical (Chicago, Illinois)}} | college = Aurora (1970–1974) | draft_year = 1974 | draft_round = 4 | draft_pick = 56 | draft_team = Portland Trail Blazers | career_start = 1974 | career_end = 1986 | career_number = 8, 3 | career_position = Power forward | years1 = {{nbay|1974|start}}–{{nbay|1978|end}} | team1 = Chicago Bulls | years2 = {{nbay|1979|full=y}} | team2 = Indiana Pacers | years3 = {{nbay|1980|start}}–{{nbay|1982|start}} | team3 = Milwaukee Bucks | years4 = {{nbay|1982|full=y}} | team4 = New Jersey Nets | years5 = {{nbay|1982|end}}–{{nbay|1984|start}} | team5 = Golden State Warriors | years6 = {{nbay|1985|full=y}} | team6 = New Jersey Nets | stats_league = NBA | stat1label = Points | stat1value = 12,748 (14.1 ppg) | stat2label = Rebounds | stat2value = 6,465 (7.2 rpg) | stat3label = Assists | stat3value = 2,677 (3.0 apg) | bbr = johnsmi01 }}
'''Wallace Edgar''' "'''Mickey'''" '''Johnson''' (born August 31, 1952) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
==Career==
===Basketball=== After graduating from Chicago's Lindblom High School and playing collegiately at tiny Aurora College, the 6' 10" forward/center was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth round of the 1974 NBA draft. The Blazers immediately traded Johnson to the Chicago Bulls, with whom he averaged just 3.8 points per game as a rookie. Johnson quickly improved, however, and he moved into the Bulls' starting lineup during the middle of his second season. A versatile scorer and aggressive rebounder, he averaged 17.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 1976–77. On April 17, 1977, in the deciding game of a first round loss against the team which originally drafted him, Portland (Chicago was then a Western Conference team), Johnson scored a playoff career-high 34 points and added 14 rebounds.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197704170POR.html| title = Chicago Bulls at Portland Trail Blazers Box Score, April 17, 1977 {{!}} Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> The following season, he averaged 18.3 points and 9.1 rebounds, and on February 26, 1978, he scored 30 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a 100–99 loss, again to Portland.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197802260CHI.html| title = Portland Trail Blazers at Chicago Bulls Box Score, February 26, 1978 {{!}} Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref>
In 1979, he signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers, averaging a career-high 19.1 points during his first and only season with that club. In what was arguably the best game of his career, on January 30, 1980, Johnson scored 41 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and recorded 8 assists in a 119–120 loss against the Washington Bullets.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198001300WSB.html| title = Indiana Pacers at Washington Bullets Box Score, January 30, 1980 {{!}} Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> Just a couple weeks later, on February 14 during a 118–114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Johnson set a career high with 6 blocks in a single game, while also adding 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mickey Johnson Career High 6 Blocks |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/mickey-johnson-career-high-blocks |website=Statmuse}}</ref> On September 11, 1980, Johnson was traded by the Pacers to the Milwaukee Bucks for George L. Johnson and a 1982 2nd-round draft pick (Jose Slaughter was later selected).<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsmi01.html| title = Mickey Johnson Stats {{!}} Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> After finishing the season with a record of 60–22, the Bucks would face the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1981 NBA Playoffs, where Johnson led Milwaukee to a Game 6 win with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals.<ref name="washingtonpost_com">{{cite news |title='Other' Johnson Boosts Bucks to Series Tie |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1981/04/19/other-johnson-boosts-bucks-to-series-tie/97a59206-e61d-437c-b36e-f067130e195d/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> In Game 7, the Bucks lost 99–98, and the conclusion of the game was delayed for two hours and sixteen minutes as coach Don Nelson contested if Philadelphia got away with a 24-second violation as the game ended.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sixers' lowlights: When fans stayed home |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/sports/20121221_Sixers__lowlights__No__10__When_fans_stayed_home.html&outputType=app-web-view |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref>
During the 1982 NBA Playoffs, on April 25, 1982, Johnson scored 28 points and recorded 4 steals in a Game 1 loss against the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198204250PHI.html| title = Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers Box Score, April 25, 1982 {{!}} Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> The Bucks would eventually lose the series in six games, being eliminated by the 76ers for the second year in a row. On Johnson's underappreciated role in the Bucks' postseason run, Don Nelson said "Mickey has not been getting much credit, he's had a few games where his offense was not good, but his defense has always been there..." Despite being a solid starter on the Bucks, Johnson's tenure may be most remembered for the fact that both he and teammate Marques Johnson were the first two players in NBA history to have their full first and last names displayed on their jerseys, as they both shared the same first initial and last name.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/10293301/uni-watch-name-variations-worth-turning-second-look| title = Uni Watch-Name variations worth turning around for a second look| date = January 14, 2014}}</ref>
He also played for the New Jersey Nets and Golden State Warriors during his career. On March 10, 1983, while on the Warriors, Johnson recorded a triple double with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 119–109 win over the Houston Rockets.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mickey Johnson Golden State Triple Double |url=https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/mickey-johnson-triple-double-warriors |website=Statmuse}}</ref> He retired in 1986 with 12,748 career points and 6,465 career rebounds.
During his NBA career, Johnson was called "Rubberman" by teammates due his ability to stretch and grab rebounds and block shots, despite his slender frame.<ref name="washingtonpost_com" />
He later became the head men's basketball coach at Malcolm X College in Chicago.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://malcolmx.ccc.edu/athletics/bballMen/default.asp |title=Malcolm X College of Chicago |accessdate=June 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608194916/http://malcolmx.ccc.edu/athletics/bballMen/default.asp |archivedate=June 8, 2007 }}</ref>
===Politics=== In 2015, Johnson unsuccessfully ran in an open race for alderman from Chicago's 24th Ward.<ref name="wgnward24">{{cite web |title=Meet the candidates: City Council, 24th Ward |url=https://wgntv.com/2015/02/17/meet-the-candidates-city-council-24th-ward/ |publisher=WGN-TV |accessdate=February 24, 2020 |language=en |date=February 17, 2015}}</ref> He was a finalist for an appointment to fill a vacancy for the same office in 2022; Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot ultimately nominated Monique Scott instead.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spielman |first=Fran |date=June 20, 2022 |title=Who cares about all-in-the-family claims: Lightfoot picks Michael Scott Jr.'s sister to replace him as 24th Ward alderperson |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2022/6/20/23175815/monique-scott-picked-replace-michael-scott-jr-24th-ward-alderperson |access-date=June 27, 2022 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}</ref>
In 2017, Johnson described Colin Kaepernick as a "patriot" when discussing Kaepernick's use of controversial anthem protesting to bring attention to institutional racism in America.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/Friends-for-Wallace-E-Mickey-Johnson-130179603697357/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>
==NBA career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}
===Regular season=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | align="left" | 1974–75 | align="left" | Chicago | 38 || – || 7.7 || .449 || – || .638 || 2.5 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 3.8 |- | align="left" | 1975–76 | align="left" | Chicago | 81 || – || 29.5 || .463 || – || .786 || 9.4 || 1.6 || 1.1 || 0.8 || 15.3 |- | align="left" | 1976–77 | align="left" | Chicago | 81 || – || 35.1 || .446 || – || .796 || '''10.2''' || 2.4 || 1.3 || 0.8 || 17.3 |- | align="left" | 1977–78 | align="left" | Chicago | 81 || – || '''35.4''' || .462 || – || .812 || 9.1 || 3.3 || 1.1 || 0.8 || 18.3 |- | align="left" | 1978–79 | align="left" | Chicago | style="background:#cfecec;"| '''82'''* || – || 31.6 || .449 || – || '''.830''' || 7.6 || '''4.6''' || 1.1 || 0.7 || 15.4 |- | align="left" | 1979–80 | align="left" | Indiana | '''82''' || – || 32.3 || .463 || .156 || .799 || 8.3 || 4.2 || '''1.9''' || '''1.4''' || '''19.1''' |- | align="left" | 1980–81 | align="left" | Milwaukee | '''82''' || – || 25.8 || .448 || .167 || .789 || 6.6 || 3.5 || 1.1 || 0.9 || 12.5 |- | align="left" | 1981–82 | align="left" | Milwaukee | 76 || '''71''' || 25.4 || '''.491''' || .143 || .801 || 6.0 || 2.8 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 12.9 |- | align="left" | 1982–83 | align="left" | Milwaukee | 6 || 0 || 25.5 || .455 || .000 || .778 || 4.2 || 1.8 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 11.2 |- | align="left" | 1982–83 | align="left" | New Jersey | 42 || 7 || 23.8 || .401 || .118 || .816 || 5.3 || 3.4 || 1.3 || 0.5 || 13.4 |- | align="left" | 1982–83 | align="left" | Golden State | 30 || 9 || 30.0 || .451 || .059 || .829 || 8.2 || 3.3 || 0.8 || 0.8 || 15.5 |- | align="left" | 1983–84 | align="left" | Golden State | 78 || 25 || 27.2 || .421 || .172 || .785 || 6.6 || 2.8 || 1.3 || 0.4 || 13.6 |- | align="left" | 1984–85 | align="left" | Golden State | 66 || 9 || 23.7 || .426 || '''.233''' || .823 || 6.0 || 2.3 || 1.1 || 0.5 || 13.3 |- | align="left" | 1985–86 | align="left" | New Jersey | 79 || 4 || 19.9 || .422 || .208 || .785 || 4.2 || 2.7 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 7.8 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 904 || <u>125</u> || 27.7 || .449 || .165 || .800 || 7.2 || 3.0 || 1.1 || 0.7 || 14.1 |}
===Playoffs=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | align="left" | 1974–75 | align="left" | Chicago | 3 || – || 1.7 || .333 || – || .000 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 0.7 |- | align="left" | 1976–77 | align="left" | Chicago | 3 || – || '''41.3''' || .472 || – || '''.875''' || '''13.0''' || 2.3 || '''1.7''' || 0.7 || '''27.3''' |- | align="left" | 1980–81 | align="left" | Milwaukee | '''7''' || – || 24.3 || .400 || .000 || .857 || 6.7 || 1.9 || 1.3 || '''0.9''' || 11.7 |- | align="left" | 1981–82 | align="left" | Milwaukee | 6 || – || 34.3 || '''.573''' || .000 || .846 || 5.3 || '''3.0''' || 1.3 || 0.7 || 19.8 |- | align="left" | 1985–86 | align="left" | New Jersey | 3 || 0 || 18.0 || .263 || .000 || .636 || 3.7 || 0.7 || 0.7 || 0.0 || 5.7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 22 || <u>0</u> || 25.4 || .466 || .000 || .832 || 5.9 || 1.8 || 1.1 || 0.6 || 13.7 |}
==Family== Mickey Johnson is the uncle of journeyman former NBA forward Linton Johnson.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060411113653/http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/behind_the_numbers.html HORNETS: Behind the Numbers: Linton Johnson]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsmi01.html Career Stats]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Mickey}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen Category:African-American basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Aurora Spartans men's basketball players Category:Aurora University alumni Category:Basketball players from Chicago Category:Carolina Cougars draft picks Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Chicago Bulls players Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States Category:Golden State Warriors players Category:Indiana Pacers players Category:Milwaukee Bucks players Category:New Jersey Nets players Category:Portland Trail Blazers draft picks Category:Power forwards Category:Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy alumni Category:21st-century American sportsmen