Avery Johnson is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. He played point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 16 seasons, from 1988 to 2004. Johnson was known for his quickness, ball-handling skills, and ability to distribute the ball to his teammates. He was also a tenacious defender and a clutch performer in pressure situations.
Johnson began his NBA career as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1988. He played sparingly in his first two seasons, but he emerged as a key contributor for the San Antonio Spurs in the early 1990s. Johnson helped the Spurs reach the Western Conference Finals in 1995, but they lost to the Houston Rockets in a memorable seven-game series.
In 1999, Johnson won his first NBA championship as a member of the Spurs. He played a crucial role in the team's title run, averaging 12.8 points and 7.8 assists per game in the playoffs. Johnson continued to play for the Spurs until 2001, when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He played one season in Denver before being traded again, this time to the Dallas Mavericks.
Johnson had his best statistical season in 2002-03, when he averaged 10.8 points and 8.3 assists per game for the Mavericks. He helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the Spurs in six games. Johnson played two more seasons for the Mavericks before retiring in 2004.
After his playing career, Johnson became a coach. He served as an assistant coach for the Mavericks from 2004 to 2005, and then became the head coach of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Johnson coached the Warriors for one season before being fired.
In 2006, Johnson was hired as the head coach of the Mavericks. He led the team to the NBA Finals in his first season as coach, but they lost to the Miami Heat in six games. Johnson was named the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2005-06 season.
Johnson coached the Mavericks for four more seasons, but he was fired in 2008 after the team failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs. He then coached the New Jersey Nets for two seasons, but he was fired in 2010 after a disappointing start to the season.
Johnson returned to coaching in 2014, when he was hired as the head coach of the University of Alabama men's basketball team. He coached the Crimson Tide for four seasons before being fired in 2019.
Throughout his career, Johnson was known for his leadership, work ethic, and ability to connect with his players. He was a respected figure in the NBA and a successful coach at both the professional and college levels.
🏀