Ervin Johnson
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1967)}}
{{for|the former Los Angeles Lakers player named Earvin Johnson|Magic Johnson}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Ervin Johnson
| image = Ervin Johnson at Buckley (cropped).JPG
| image_size =
| caption = Johnson in 2010
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|12|21}}
| birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 245
| high_school = Block (Jonesville, Louisiana)
| college = New Orleans (1989–1993)
| draft_year = 1993
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 23
| draft_team = Seattle SuperSonics
| career_start = 1993
| career_end = 2006
| career_number = 50, 40
| career_position = Center
| years1={{nbay|1993|start}}–{{nbay|1995|end}}|team1=Seattle SuperSonics
| years2={{nbay|1996|full=yes}}|team2=Denver Nuggets
| years3={{nbay|1997|start}}–{{nbay|2002|end}}|team3=Milwaukee Bucks
| years4={{nbay|2003|start}}–{{nbay|2004|end}}|team4=Minnesota Timberwolves
| years5={{nbay|2005|full=yes}}|team5=Milwaukee Bucks
| highlights =
- Third-team All-American – UPI (1993)
- Sun Belt Player of the Year (1993)
- 2× First-team All-Sun Belt (1992, 1993)
- No. 40 retired by New Orleans Privateers
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = Points
| stat1value = 3,473 (4.1 ppg)
| stat2label = Rebounds
| stat2value = 5,148 (6.1 rpg)
| stat3label = Blocks
| stat3value = 1,087 (1.3 bpg)
| medal_templates =
{{MedalSport | Men's Basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Summer Universiade}}
{{MedalGold| 1991 Sheffield | National team}}
}}
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).{{cite web |last1=Spyropoulos |first1=Eric |title=Nuggets honor Black History Month: Recognizing Ambassador Ervin Johnson's impact |url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/nuggets-black-history-johnson-022220 |website=NBA |access-date=August 10, 2020 |date=February 22, 2020}} He played in the NBA for the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves as a center from 1993 to 2006.
Early life
Johnson attended Block High School in Jonesville, Louisiana, where he played basketball until he quit in the 10th grade.{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Ted |title='Ervin Legend': How Ervin Johnson's unconventional route to UNO lead to Greater New Orleans Hall of Fame induction |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/article_870d787c-60a1-5c07-9925-8d2177362023.html |website=The Advocate |access-date=August 10, 2020 |date=July 22, 2018}} Three years after high school, he worked at a Baton Rouge supermarket and grew 8 inches. A friend suggested that he try out for the New Orleans Privateers, which did not have a big man. Privateers head coach Tim Floyd offered Johnson a scholarship on sight despite Johnson not having played basketball in years.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/features/johnson_040224.html |title=Ervin Johnson: Keeping the Faith | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES |work=Nba.com |date=2004-02-24 |access-date=2013-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626004312/https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/features/johnson_040224.html|archive-date=June 26, 2019|url-status=live}}
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 the 1992–1993 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://unoprivateers.com/news/2007/6/19/47577.aspx|title=Ervin Johnson Hall of Fame|date=19 June 2007 |access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626004553/https://unoprivateers.com/news/2007/6/19/47577.aspx|archive-date=June 26, 2019|url-status=live}}
Johnson completed his degree in general studies from the University of New Orleans during the 1996–97 NBA season, and was commencement speaker at graduation ceremonies.{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ervin_johnson/bio.html |title=Ervin Johnson Bio |work=NBA.com |access-date=2013-04-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108140815/http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ervin_johnson/bio.html |archive-date=2012-11-08 }}
=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.{{cite web|url=https://unoprivateers.com/news/2005/10/26/80575.aspx|title=Sun Belt Announces All-Time Men?s Basketball Team|date=October 26, 2005|access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626005246/https://unoprivateers.com/news/2005/10/26/80575.aspx|archive-date=June 26, 2019|url-status=live}}
On December 29, 1997, his Privateer jersey (40) was retired at Lakefront Arena.{{cite web|url=https://unoprivateers.com/news/2007/6/19/86095.aspx|title=UNO Hall of Fame|date=19 June 2007 |access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626005415/https://unoprivateers.com/news/2007/6/19/86095.aspx|archive-date=June 26, 2019|url-status=live}}
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 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199602140SEA.html|title = Minnesota Timberwolves at Seattle SuperSonics Box Score, February 14, 1996}} Johnson and the Sonics would make it to the 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199612200DEN.html|title = Vancouver Grizzlies at Denver Nuggets Box Score, December 20, 1996}} That 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199804110MIL.html|title = New Jersey Nets at Milwaukee Bucks Box Score, April 11, 1998}}
Johnson played a key role on the 2000–01 Bucks, grabbing a playoff career-high 17 rebounds on May 15 against the Charlotte Hornets,{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105150MIL.html|title = Charlotte Hornets at Milwaukee Bucks Box Score, May 15, 2001}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106030PHI.html|title = Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers Box Score, June 3, 2001}}
Three years later, now in Minnesota and 36 years old, Johnson played an important role on another team's deep playoff run. This time, he averaged 20 minutes a game in the playoffs, but still started most games en route to a Western Conference Finals loss to the Lakers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2004.html|title = 2003–04 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster and Stats}}
Johnson returned to the Bucks for one season, and retired after the end of the 2006 NBA playoffs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnser02.html|title = Ervin Johnson Stats}}
NBA career statistics
{{NBA player statistics legend}}
Source{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnser02.html|title=Ervin Johnson|website=Basketball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=5 April 2022}}
| class="wikitable"
|style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em"|* |Led the league |
=Regular season=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1993}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle
| 45 || 3 || 6.2 || .415 || – || .630 || 2.6 || .2 || .2 || .5 || 2.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1994}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle
| 64 || 30 || 14.2 || .443 || .000 || .630 || 4.5 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1995}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle
| 81 || 60 || 18.8 || .511 || .333 || .669 || 5.3 || .6 || .5 || 1.6 || 5.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1996}}
| style="text-align:left;"| 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;"| {{nbay|1997}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 81 || 81 || 27.9 || .537 || – || .601 || 8.5 || .7 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 8.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1998}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em"|50* || 7 || 20.5 || .508 || – || .610 || 6.4 || .4 || .6 || 1.1 || 5.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1999}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 80 || 74 || 26.6 || .516 || .000 || .605 || 8.1 || .6 || 1.0 || 1.6 || 4.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2000}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 82 || 19 || 24.2 || .545 || – || .538 || 7.5 || .5 || .5 || 1.2 || 3.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2001}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 81 || 9 || 20.5 || .461 || .000 || .455 || 5.8 || .3 || .5 || 1.0 || 2.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2002}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 69 || 17 || 17.0 || .452 || – || .682 || 4.3 || .3 || .5 || .9 || 2.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2003}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 66 || 47 || 14.7 || .534 || .000 || .607 || 3.5 || .4 || .4 || .7 || 1.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2004}}
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 46 || 23 || 8.9 || .519 || 1.000 || .640 || 2.5 || .1 || .2 || .3 || 1.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2005}}
| style="text-align:left;"| 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 || 4.1
{{s-end}}
=Playoffs=
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1994
| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle
| 2 || 0 || 4.0 || .000 || – || – || 2.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1995
| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle
| 4 || 2 || 13.5 || .286 || – || 1.000 || 5.3 || .0 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1996
| style="text-align:left;"| Seattle
| 18 || 18 || 14.1 || .371 || – || .818 || 3.9 || .4 || .3 || .8 || 3.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 1999
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 3 || 2 || 30.7 || .462 || – || .500 || 6.0 || .3 || .7 || 1.7 || 4.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2000
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 5 || 5 || 31.0 || .500 || – || .611 || 9.8 || .4 || 1.2 || 1.2 || 6.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2001
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 18 || 10 || 32.1 || .574 || – || .625 || 10.8 || .6 || .5 || 2.1 || 5.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2003
| style="text-align:left;"| Milwaukee
| 6 || 3 || 12.7 || .375 || – || – || 4.0 || .5 || .5 || .8 || 1.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2004
| style="text-align:left;"| Minnesota
| 18 || 16 || 19.8 || .500 || – || .625 || 4.7 || .7 || .6 || .6 || 2.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| 2006
| style="text-align:left;"| 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 || 3.5
{{s-end}}
Post-playing career
Johnson was a community ambassador for the Denver Nuggets. He also hosts clinics to teach basketball fundamentals to children in Colorado.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Ervin Johnson}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
- [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ervin_johnson/ NBA.com Profile – Ervin Johnson]
{{basketballstats|bbr=j/johnser02}}
{{1993 NBA draft}}
{{Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Ervin}}
Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen
Category:All-American college men's basketball players
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from New Orleans
Category:Denver Nuggets players
Category:Medalists at the 1991 Summer Universiade
Category:Milwaukee Bucks players
Category:Minnesota Timberwolves players
Category:New Orleans Privateers men's basketball players
Category:Seattle SuperSonics draft picks
Category:Seattle SuperSonics players
Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for the United States
Category:Summer World University Games medalists in basketball