# Stew Johnson

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American basketball player (born 1944)

Stew Johnson Johnson in 1972 Personal information Born (1944-08-19) August 19, 1944 (age 81) New York City, New York, U.S. Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Listed weight 220 lb (100 kg) Career information High school Clairton (Clairton, Pennsylvania) College Murray State (1963–1966) NBA draft 1966: 3rd round, 21st overall pick Drafted by New York Knicks Playing career 1967–1983 Position Power forward / center Number 24, 41, 10, 20, 13, 7, 11, 2, 23 Career history Playing 1967 Kentucky Colonels 1967–1968 New Jersey Americans / New York Nets 1968–1969 Houston Mavericks 1969–1971 Pittsburgh Pipers / Condors 1971–1972 Carolina Cougars 1972–1974 San Diego Conquistadors 1974–1975 Memphis Sounds 1975 San Diego Sails 1975–1976 San Antonio Spurs 1976–1977 SP Federale Lugano 1978 Indiana Wizards 1978–1979 Ármann 1979–1981 River Plate 1981–1983 KR Basket Coaching 1978–1979 Ármann (men's) 1981–1983 KR Basket (men's) 1981–1983 KR Basket (women's) Career highlights As player: 3× ABA All-Star (1973–1975) Swiss League champion (1977) Úrvalsdeild scoring champion (1983) As head coach: 2× Icelandic Women's League champion (1982, 1983) 2× Icelandic Women's Cup winner (1982, 1983) Career ABA statistics Points 10,538 (16.3 ppg) Rebounds 4,263 (6.6 rpg) Assists 984 (1.5 apg) Stats at Basketball Reference

**Stewart Johnson** (born August 19, 1944) is an American former professional [basketball](/source/Basketball) player. A 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m) tall [forward](/source/Power_forward_(basketball))/[center](/source/Center_(basketball)) from [Murray State University](/source/Murray_State_Racers_men's_basketball), who was born in [New York City](/source/New_York_City), Johnson was selected by the [New York Knicks](/source/New_York_Knicks) in the third round of the [1966 NBA draft](/source/1966_NBA_draft). However, Johnson never played in the [NBA](/source/National_Basketball_Association), joining the rival [American Basketball Association](/source/American_Basketball_Association) instead.

## College career

Johnson broke the color barrier as the first black varsity basketball player for a four-year program in the southeastern United States (not including [historically black colleges and universities](/source/Historically_black_colleges_and_universities)), as he suited up for [Murray State University](/source/Murray_State) of the [Ohio Valley Conference](/source/Ohio_Valley_Conference) in 1963.[1]

In his three seasons of varsity basketball at Murray State, he played in 76 games and averaged 16.8 points averaged 12.9 rebounds while shooting for a .417 field goal percentage and a .731 free throw percentage. He scored a total of 1,275 points in his career.

A two-time All-OVC selection, Johnson averaged 20.0 points and 14.1 rebounds as a junior, as his rebounding average ranked second in conference statistics. Johnson was a regular on three consecutive winning Racer teams, as he helped Murray State to an OVC championship in 1963–64. He served as team co-captain his senior season. He is a member of the Murray State Athletics Hall of Fame, inducted in 1979. [2][3]

## Playing career

### NABL

Johnson spent the 1966–67 season in the North American Basketball League with Benton Harbor/Twin City Sailors and the Holland Carvers.[4][5][6]

### ABA

Johnson played nine seasons (1967–1976) in the ABA with seven different franchises: the [Kentucky Colonels](/source/Kentucky_Colonels) (1967), [New Jersey Americans](/source/New_Jersey_Americans) / [New York Nets](/source/New_York_Nets) (1967–69), [Houston Mavericks](/source/Houston_Mavericks) (1968–69), [Pittsburgh Pipers / Condors](/source/Pittsburgh_Condors) (1969–1971), [Carolina Cougars](/source/Carolina_Cougars) (1971–72), [San Diego Conquistadors](/source/San_Diego_Conquistadors) (1972–1974), [Memphis Sounds](/source/Memphis_Sounds) (1974–75), [Baltimore Claws](/source/Baltimore_Claws) (1975–76, who played only 3 preseason games), [San Diego Sails](/source/San_Diego_Sails) (1975) and [San Antonio Spurs](/source/San_Antonio_Spurs) (1975–76)

In his ABA career Johnson scored 10,538 career points. He was known for his sweet shooting stroke. He had the ability to drain long jumpers and had range out to the three-point arc. He filled in admirably at center for the '71–'72 Cougar team after Jim McDaniels ignored his contract with the Cougars and jumped to the [Seattle SuperSonics](/source/Seattle_SuperSonics). He also made three ABA All-Star Game appearances ([1973](/source/1973_ABA_All-Star_Game), [1974](/source/1974_ABA_All-Star_Game) and [1975](/source/1975_ABA_All-Star_Game)), twice as a member of the [San Diego Conquistadors](/source/San_Diego_Conquistadors) and once as a member of the [Memphis Sounds](/source/Memphis_Sounds). He set the ABA single-game scoring record when he erupted for 62 points against [The Floridians](/source/The_Floridians) on March 6, 1971; his record lasted almost a year until [Zelmo Beaty](/source/Zelmo_Beaty) scored 63 points against the [Pittsburgh Condors](/source/Pittsburgh_Condors) on February 21, 1972.

Johnson made the playoffs in three straight years from 1973 to 1975, scoring 238 points in 15 games.

His 10,538 points are 9th all time in ABA history, behind only [Louie Dampier](/source/Louie_Dampier), [Dan Issel](/source/Dan_Issel), [Ron Boone](/source/Ron_Boone), [Mel Daniels](/source/Mel_Daniels), [Julius Erving](/source/Julius_Erving), [Freddie Lewis](/source/Freddie_Lewis), [Donnie Freeman](/source/Donnie_Freeman_(basketball%2C_born_1944)), and [Mack Calvin](/source/Mack_Calvin), with four of them being in the [Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame](/source/Naismith_Memorial_Basketball_Hall_of_Fame). Johnson finished 2nd all time in field goal attempts (10,854), 5th in field goals made (4,586), 7th in games played (647), 1st in turnover percentage (8.68%) 12th in minutes played (19,201), but also 2nd in field goals missed (6,268).

### AABA

In January 1978, Johnson joined the Indiana Wizards of the [All-American Basketball Alliance](/source/All-American_Basketball_Alliance) league. The league folded in February, less than a month after it started. In 8 games, Johnson scored 117 points for an average of 14,6 points per game.[7]

### Iceland

In 1978 Johnson joined Icelandic [Division I](/source/1._deild_karla_(basketball)) club [Ármann](/source/%C3%81rmann_men's_basketball) as player-coach. In December of that year, Johnson was assaulted in a nightclub where a glass was thrown at his face, severely injuring his right eye.[8][9][10] He recovered enough to return to the floor before the season ended but the club was unable to achieve promotion to the [Úrvalsdeild](/source/%C3%9Arvalsdeild_karla_(basketball)).[11]

After spending the next two seasons with [River Plate](/source/Club_Atl%C3%A9tico_River_Plate) in [Argentine](/source/Argentine), Johnson returned to Iceland in 1981 and joined [KR](/source/KR_men's_basketball) as player-coach. He led the Úrvalsdeild in scoring in 1983 while finishing second in 1982.[12][13] His Icelandic career came to an end in 1983 when foreign players where barred from playing in the Icelandic leagues.[14]

Johnson also coached [KR's women's team](/source/KR_women's_basketball) for two seasons and led them to both the [national championship](/source/%C3%9Arvalsdeild_kvenna_(basketball)) and [Icelandic Basketball Cup](/source/Icelandic_Women's_Basketball_Cup) in 1982 and 1983.[15][16]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Bolin, James (2019). *Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball*. University Press of Kentucky. p. 268. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8131-7720-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8131-7720-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Where is Stew Johnson](http://www.topix.com/forum/ncaa/murray-state/T32UBO3OASKDBLON7)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Stewart Johnson"](http://racerhistory.com/players/index.php?id=292). *racerhistory.com*. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Stew Johnson – American Basketball Association Players"](http://www.nasljerseys.com/ABA/Players/J/Johnson.Stew.htm). *nasljerseys.com*. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["North American Basketball League 1964–65 to 1967–68"](http://www.apbr.org/nabl6468.html). *apbr.org*. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Carvers defeated Braves 143–138"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/33939995/). *[The Holland Evening Sentinel](/source/The_Holland_Evening_Sentinel)*. February 13, 1967. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["All-American Basketball Alliance (1978)"](http://www.apbr.org/aabahist.html). *apbr.org*. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Heldur hann sjóninni?](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=248718&pageId=3382896&lang=is)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Stewart undir hnífinn](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=272483&pageId=3914311&lang=is)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Johnson skorinn ytra](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=117407&pageId=1510344&lang=is)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [Framarar eru komnir upp í Úrvalsdeildina](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=248828&pageId=3385118)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [1981–1982 statistics](http://gamli.kki.is/tolfraedi_einst_a_timab_medal.asp?Timabil=1982&Lid=OllLid&Magn=20&Adgerd=NyRodun&RadaEftir=MedalStig&Submit=S%C3%A6kja)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [1982–1983 statistics](http://gamli.kki.is/tolfraedi_einst_a_timab_medal.asp?Timabil=1983&Lid=OllLid&Magn=20&Adgerd=NyRodun&RadaEftir=MedalStig&Submit=S%C3%A6kja)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [Erlendir leikmenn bannaðir](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=189370&pageId=2476128&lang=is)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [KR Íslandsmeistari í körfuknattleik kvenna](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=223376&pageId=2881224&lang=is)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [Besta körfuknattleikslið kvenna á íslandi](http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=278986&pageId=4023317&lang=is)

## External links

- [Career Stats](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsst01.html)

- [RememberTheABA.com Stew Johnson page](http://www.remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/StewJohnson.html)

- [Úrvalsdeild career stats](http://gamli.kki.is/tolfraedi_ferill_leikmanns.asp?Felaganumer=114752)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stew Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stew_Johnson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stew_Johnson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.