- Neil Johnston
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Neil Johnston No. 6 Center Personal information Date of birth February 4, 1929 Place of birth Chillicothe, Ohio Date of death September 28, 1978 (aged 49)Place of death Irving, Texas Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Listed weight 210 lb (95 kg) Career information College Ohio State Pro career 1951–1959 Career history As player:
As coach:
Career highlights and awards - NBA Champion (1956)
- 6× NBA All-Star (1953–1958)
- 4× All-NBA First Team (1953–1956)
- All-NBA Second Team (1957)
- 3× NBA Scoring Champion (1953–1955)
- Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (2009)
Career statistics Points 10,023 Rebounds 5,856 Assists 1,269 Stats at NBA.com Stats at Basketball-Reference.com Basketball Hall of Fame as player Donald Neil Johnston (February 4, 1929 – September 28, 1978) was an American Hall of Fame basketball player at the center position who played 8 years in the NBA from 1951 to 1959.
He led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons: 1952-53, 1953–54, and 1954-55. During the 1954-55 season, he also won the league's rebounding title. Johnston played his entire career with the Philadelphia Warriors, playing on their championship team in 1956. He played in six NBA All-Star Games, was an All-NBA First Team selection four times, and was an All-NBA Second Team selection once.
During his career, the 6 foot 8 inch Johnston was well known for his right-handed hook shot, which contributed to his leading the league in field goal shooting three times. Johnston was forced to retire after a serious knee injury in the 1958-59 season.
After his playing career, he coached the Warriors to a 95-59 winning record for the first two seasons of Wilt Chamberlain's NBA career.
He attended Ohio State University, where he starred in baseball and basketball. Johnston signed a professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies out of college and pitched two and a half years for the Terre Haute Phillies of the Three-I League. With a 3-9 record halfway through his third losing season in 1951, Johnston decided to give pro basketball a try. With his manager, Jim Ward's assistance, he tried out for the Warriors at the team camp in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
He was enshrined posthumously in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990, 31 years after his retirement.
See also
External links
- Johnston's Basketball Hall of Fame page
- Neil Johnston on Find-A-Grave
- Neil Johnston statistics on Basketball-Reference (as a player)
- Neil Johnston statistics on Basketball-Reference (as a coach)
- Neil Johnston in the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
Further reading
- Alex Sachare, 100 Greatest Basketball Players of all Time (1997) ISBN 0-671-01168-5
NBA season scoring leaders 1947: Fulks | 1948: Zaslofsky | 1949: Mikan | 1950: Mikan | 1951: Mikan | 1952: Arizin | 1953: Johnston | 1954: Johnston | 1955: Johnston | 1956: Pettit | 1957: Arizin | 1958: Yardley | 1959: Pettit | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Chamberlain | 1962: Chamberlain | 1963: Chamberlain | 1964: Chamberlain | 1965: Chamberlain | 1966: Chamberlain | 1967: Barry | 1968: Bing | 1969: Hayes | 1970: West | 1971: Alcindor | 1972: Abdul-Jabbar | 1973: Archibald | 1974: McAdoo | 1975: McAdoo | 1976: McAdoo | 1977: Maravich | 1978: Gervin | 1979: Gervin | 1980: Gervin | 1981: Dantley | 1982: Gervin | 1983: English | 1984: Dantley | 1985: King | 1986: Wilkins | 1987: Jordan | 1988: Jordan | 1989: Jordan | 1990: Jordan | 1991: Jordan | 1992: Jordan | 1993: Jordan | 1994: Robinson | 1995: O'Neal | 1996: Jordan | 1997: Jordan | 1998: Jordan | 1999: Iverson | 2000: O'Neal | 2001: Iverson | 2002: Iverson | 2003: McGrady | 2004: McGrady | 2005: Iverson | 2006: Bryant | 2007: Bryant | 2008: James | 2009: Wade | 2010: Durant | 2011: DurantNBA season rebounding leaders 1951: Schayes | 1952: Mikan | 1953: Mikan | 1954: Gallatin | 1955: Johnston | 1956: Stokes | 1957: Russell | 1958: Russell | 1959: Russell | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Chamberlain | 1962: Chamberlain | 1963: Chamberlain | 1964: Russell | 1965: Russell | 1966: Chamberlain | 1967: Chamberlain | 1968: Chamberlain | 1969: Chamberlain | 1970: Hayes | 1971: Chamberlain | 1972: Chamberlain | 1973: Chamberlain | 1974: Hayes | 1975: Unseld | 1976: Abdul-Jabbar | 1977: Walton | 1978: T. Robinson | 1979: Malone | 1980: Nater | 1981: Malone | 1982: Malone | 1983: Malone | 1984: Malone | 1985: Malone | 1986: Laimbeer | 1987: Barkley | 1988: Cage | 1989: Olajuwon | 1990: Olajuwon | 1991: D. Robinson | 1992: Rodman | 1993: Rodman | 1994: Rodman | 1995: Rodman | 1996: Rodman | 1997: Rodman | 1998: Rodman | 1999: Webber | 2000: Mutombo | 2001: Mutombo | 2002: Wallace | 2003: Wallace | 2004: Garnett | 2005: Garnett | 2006: Garnett | 2007: Garnett | 2008: Howard | 2009: Howard | 2010: Howard | 2011: LovePhiladelphia Warriors 1955–56 NBA Champions 4 Larry Hennessy | 5 George Dempsey | 6 Neil Johnston | 7 Ernie Beck | 9 Joe Graboski | 11 Paul Arizin | 12 Walt Davis | 14 Jackie Moore | 15 Tom Gola | 17 Jack George | Head coach George Senesky
Golden State Warriors Formerly the Philadelphia Warriors and the San Francisco Warriors • Founded in 1946 • Based in Oakland, CaliforniaThe franchise Arenas Head coaches General managers D-League affiliate Retired numbers Hall of Famers Paul Arizin • Rick Barry • Wilt Chamberlain • Joe Fulks • Tom Gola • Neil Johnston • Jerry Lucas • Chris Mullin • Robert Parish • Andy Phillip • Nate ThurmondNBA Championships (3) Conference Championships (5) Culture Media TV: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area • Radio: KNBR/KTCT • Announcers: Bob Fitzgerald • Jim Barnett • Tim RoyeNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1990 Players Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2009 1974–75 Philadelphia Flyers • Larry Bowa • John Cappelletti • Eddie Collins • Bill Conlin • Joey Giardello • Julius "Judy" Johnson • Neil Johnston • Tommy Lasorda • Merrill Reese • Pete Retzlaff • Betty Shellenberger • Mel Sheppard • Emlen TunnellCategories:- 1929 births
- 1978 deaths
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- American basketball coaches
- American basketball players
- Centers (basketball)
- National Basketball Association head coaches
- Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball players
- People from Chillicothe, Ohio
- Philadelphia Warriors players
- Philadelphia Warriors head coaches
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- Undrafted National Basketball Association players
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