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Ervin Johnson Jr. (born December 21, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player who is a community ambassador for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA for the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves as a Center (basketball), center from 1993 to 2006.
A 6'11", 245-pound center (basketball), center from the University of New Orleans, Johnson was selected 23rd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1993 NBA draft, and played for the Sonics, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks.
On February 14, 1996, Johnson scored a career high 28 points, alongside grabbing 12 rebounds, in a win against the Timberwolves. Johnson and Seattle would make it to the 1996 NBA Finals, Finals that postseason, before losing to the Bulls.
The following season, after signing with the Nuggets, Johnson scored 19 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and blocked 5 shots on December 20 in a win against the Vancouver Grizzlies. That 1996–97 NBA season, year, Johnson led the league in total defensive rebounds, with 682.
During the 1997 offseason, Johnson was traded to the Bucks for Danny Fortson, Johnny Newman, and Joe Wolf. On April 11, 1998, Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a loss against the New Jersey Nets.
Johnson played a key role on the 2000-01 Milwaukee Bucks season, 2000-01 Bucks, grabbing a playoff career high 17 rebounds on May 15 against the Charlotte Hornets, and playing in every game of their playoff run leading up to their Game 7 loss (in which he started and played 42 minutes) in the Eastern Conference Finals against the 76ers.
Three years later, now in Minnesota and 36 years old, Johnson played an important role on another 2003-04 Minnesota Timberwolves season, team's deep playoff run. This time averaging 20 minutes a game in the playoffs, but still starting most games en route to a Western Conference Finals loss to the Lakers.
Johnson returned to the Bucks for one season, and retired after the end of the 2006 NBA playoffs.
NBA.com Profile - Ervin Johnson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Ervin 1967 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American people African-American basketball players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball players from New Orleans Centers (basketball) Denver Nuggets players Medalists at the 1991 Summer Universiade Milwaukee Bucks players Minnesota Timberwolves players New Orleans Privateers men's basketball players Seattle SuperSonics draft picks Seattle SuperSonics players Universiade gold medalists for the United States Universiade medalists in basketball
Early life
Johnson attended Block High School in Jonesville, Louisiana, where he played basketball until he quit in the 10th grade. Three years removed from high school, he worked in a Baton Rouge supermarket and had grown 8 inches when a friend suggested that he should try-out for the New Orleans Privateers men's basketball, New Orleans Privateers, who did not have a Center (basketball), big man. Privateers head coach Tim Floyd offered Johnson a scholarship on sight despite the fact he had not played basketball in years.College career
UNO recorded 87 victories during Johnson's time in the program. They earned two NCAA tournament bids and one NIT tournament appearance. When he finished, he was the second all-time leading scorer in UNO history (1,608 points), first all-time in field goal percentage (59%), first all-time in double-doubles with 55, first all-time in rebounds with 1,287 (10.5 per game), third all-time in double-figure scoring games (81), eighth all-time in steals (109), second all-time in games played (123) and first all-time in blocks (294). Johnson was named All-American South Conference for the 1990-1991 season, All-Sun Belt Conference for the 1991-1992 season and was the 1992-1993 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. Johnson completed his degree in general studies from University of New Orleans during the 1996-97 NBA season, and was commencement speaker at graduation ceremonies.Honors
Johnson was named Basketball Times 2nd Team All-American for 1992–93 and 3rd team All-American by Basketball Weekly and United Press International. He was named Honorable Mention All-American for the same season by the Associated Press. Johnson was named MVP of the NABC All-America Game in 1993. On December 29, 1997, his Privateer jersey (40) was retired at Lakefront Arena. In 2005, Johnson was named to the All-Time Men's Basketball Team for the Sun Belt Conference in celebration of the conference's 30th basketball season.Professional career
A 6'11", 245-pound center (basketball), center from the University of New Orleans, Johnson was selected 23rd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1993 NBA draft, and played for the Sonics, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks.
On February 14, 1996, Johnson scored a career high 28 points, alongside grabbing 12 rebounds, in a win against the Timberwolves. Johnson and Seattle would make it to the 1996 NBA Finals, Finals that postseason, before losing to the Bulls.
The following season, after signing with the Nuggets, Johnson scored 19 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and blocked 5 shots on December 20 in a win against the Vancouver Grizzlies. That 1996–97 NBA season, year, Johnson led the league in total defensive rebounds, with 682.
During the 1997 offseason, Johnson was traded to the Bucks for Danny Fortson, Johnny Newman, and Joe Wolf. On April 11, 1998, Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a loss against the New Jersey Nets.
Johnson played a key role on the 2000-01 Milwaukee Bucks season, 2000-01 Bucks, grabbing a playoff career high 17 rebounds on May 15 against the Charlotte Hornets, and playing in every game of their playoff run leading up to their Game 7 loss (in which he started and played 42 minutes) in the Eastern Conference Finals against the 76ers.
Three years later, now in Minnesota and 36 years old, Johnson played an important role on another 2003-04 Minnesota Timberwolves season, team's deep playoff run. This time averaging 20 minutes a game in the playoffs, but still starting most games en route to a Western Conference Finals loss to the Lakers.
Johnson returned to the Bucks for one season, and retired after the end of the 2006 NBA playoffs.
NBA career statistics
SourceRegular season
, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1993–94 Seattle SuperSonics season, Seattle , 45 , , 3 , , 6.2 , , .415 , , – , , .630 , , 2.6 , , .2 , , .2 , , .5 , , 2.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1994–95 Seattle SuperSonics season, Seattle , 64 , , 30 , , 14.2 , , .443 , , .000 , , .630 , , 4.5 , , .3 , , .3 , , 1.0 , , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1995–96 Seattle SuperSonics season, Seattle , 81 , , 60 , , 18.8 , , .511 , , .333 , , .669 , , 5.3 , , .6 , , .5 , , 1.6 , , 5.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1996–97 Denver Nuggets season, Denver , 82 , , style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em", 82* , , 31.7 , , .520 , , .000 , , .615 , , 11.1 , , .9 , , .8 , , 2.8 , , 7.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1997–98 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 81 , , 81 , , 27.9 , , .537 , , – , , .601 , , 8.5 , , .7 , , 1.0 , , 2.0 , , 8.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1998–99 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em", 50* , , 7 , , 20.5 , , .508 , , – , , .610 , , 6.4 , , .4 , , .6 , , 1.1 , , 5.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1999–2000 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 80 , , 74 , , 26.6 , , .516 , , .000 , , .605 , , 8.1 , , .6 , , 1.0 , , 1.6 , , 4.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 82 , , 19 , , 24.2 , , .545 , , – , , .538 , , 7.5 , , .5 , , .5 , , 1.2 , , 3.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 81 , , 9 , , 20.5 , , .461 , , .000 , , .455 , , 5.8 , , .3 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , 2.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 2002–03 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 69 , , 17 , , 17.0 , , .452 , , – , , .682 , , 4.3 , , .3 , , .5 , , .9 , , 2.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 2003–04 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota , 66 , , 47 , , 14.7 , , .534 , , .000 , , .607 , , 3.5 , , .4 , , .4 , , .7 , , 1.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 2004–05 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota , 46 , , 23 , , 8.9 , , .519 , , 1.000 , , .640 , , 2.5 , , .1 , , .2 , , .3 , , 1.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 2005–06 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 18 , , 0 , , 4.5 , , .412 , , – , , .500 , , 1.3 , , .1 , , .1 , , .1 , , .8 , - , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 845 , , 452 , , 20.1 , , .505 , , .200 , , .605 , , 6.1 , , .5 , , .6 , , 1.3 , , 4.1Playoffs
, - , style="text-align:left;", 1994 NBA Playoffs, 1994 , style="text-align:left;", 1993–94 Seattle SuperSonics season, Seattle , 2 , , 0 , , 4.0 , , .000 , , – , , – , , 2.0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1995 NBA Playoffs, 1995 , style="text-align:left;", 1994–95 Seattle SuperSonics season, Seattle , 4 , , 2 , , 13.5 , , .286 , , – , , 1.000 , , 5.3 , , .0 , , .3 , , 1.0 , , 3.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1996 NBA Playoffs, 1996 , style="text-align:left;", 1995–96 Seattle SuperSonics season, Seattle , 18 , , 18 , , 14.1 , , .371 , , – , , .818 , , 3.9 , , .4 , , .3 , , .8 , , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1999 NBA Playoffs, 1999 , style="text-align:left;", 1998–99 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 3 , , 2 , , 30.7 , , .462 , , – , , .500 , , 6.0 , , .3 , , .7 , , 1.7 , , 4.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2000 NBA Playoffs, 2000 , style="text-align:left;", 1999–2000 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 5 , , 5 , , 31.0 , , .500 , , – , , .611 , , 9.8 , , .4 , , 1.2 , , 1.2 , , 6.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2001 NBA Playoffs, 2001 , style="text-align:left;", 2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 18 , , 10 , , 32.1 , , .574 , , – , , .625 , , 10.8 , , .6 , , .5 , , 2.1 , , 5.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2002 NBA Playoffs, 2003 , style="text-align:left;", 2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 6 , , 3 , , 12.7 , , .375 , , – , , – , , 4.0 , , .5 , , .5 , , .8 , , 1.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2004 NBA Playoffs, 2004 , style="text-align:left;", 2003-04 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota , 18 , , 16 , , 19.8 , , .500 , , – , , .625 , , 4.7 , , .7 , , .6 , , .6 , , 2.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2006 NBA Playoffs, 2006 , style="text-align:left;", 2005-06 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee , 3 , , 0 , , 3.7 , , .000 , , – , , 1.000 , , 1.3 , , .0 , , .3 , , .0 , , .7 , - , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 77 , , 56 , , 20.5 , , .462 , , – , , .678 , , 6.1 , , .5 , , .5 , , 1.1 , , 3.5Post-playing career
Johnson worked for the Denver Nuggets as a community ambassador, he also hosts clinics to teach basketball fundamentals to children in Colorado.References
External links
NBA.com Profile - Ervin Johnson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Ervin 1967 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American people African-American basketball players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball players from New Orleans Centers (basketball) Denver Nuggets players Medalists at the 1991 Summer Universiade Milwaukee Bucks players Minnesota Timberwolves players New Orleans Privateers men's basketball players Seattle SuperSonics draft picks Seattle SuperSonics players Universiade gold medalists for the United States Universiade medalists in basketball