Arnitz L. Johnson (May 16, 1920 – June 6, 2000) was an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. He played for the

Rochester Royals The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

of the National Basketball League (NBL) and

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

(NBA) from 1946 to 1953. Johnson is the only basketball player from Bemidji State to play in the NBA.

Early life and college career

Johnson was born on May 16, 1920, in Gonvick, Minnesota. His father was an immigrant from Sweden. Johnson attended Gonvick High School, where he served as a captain on the basketball team and was a four-time letterwinner. Johnson played

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

for the

Bemidji State Beavers The Bemidji State Beavers are the athletic teams that represent Bemidji State University, located in Bemidji, Minnesota, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Beavers compete as members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference fo ...

(then Bemidji Teachers). He led the team to three consecutive Northern Teachers College Conference championships that led to berths in the

NAIA Men's Basketball Championships The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics men's basketball national championship has been held annually since 1937 (with the exception of 1944 and 2020). The tournament was established by James Naismith to crown a national champion for ...

. Johnson served at Buckley Air Force Base during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and helped wounded soldiers during their rehabilitation.

Professional career

In 1946, Johnson was playing at an

Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...

tournament in Denver when he was spotted by Chuck Taylor, who told

coach and owner Les Harrison about Johnson. Harrison sent Johnson money to travel for a tryout with the team. Johnson played seven seasons (1946–1953) in the National Basketball League and

as a member of the

. He averaged 8.7 points and 6.2

rebounds 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...

in his career and won a league championship in 1951. In 2003,

Monroe Community College Monroe Community College is a public community college in Monroe County, New York. It is part of the State University of New York. The college has two campuses; the main campus in the town of Brighton, and the Downtown Campus in the City of Ro ...

in New York established the Arnold L. Johnson Endowed Memorial Scholarship for student athletes.Monroe CC financial aid
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BAA/NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

References

External links

* 1920 births 2000 deaths American men's basketball players American people of Swedish descent Basketball players from Minnesota Bemidji State Beavers men's basketball players People from Clearwater County, Minnesota Rochester Royals players Small forwards {{1920s-US-basketball-bio-stub