Kevin Johnson

Kevin Maurice Johnson ( born March 4, 1966 in Sacramento, California, United States ) is an American politician and mayor of Sacramento, the capital of the state of California. Prior to entering politics Johnson was a TV commentator and before basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns in the NBA. The " KJ " called, 1.85 meters measured Johnson played the position of point guard.

Basketball career

Johnson was pulled in the NBA Draft in 1987 by the Cleveland Cavaliers to seventh place. Johnson played the first reservists the starting point guard Mark Price and was further transferred to the Phoenix Suns in the All-Star Break ( ie for half of the season ). There, Johnson was a regular player and scored in his rookie year 12 points and 9 assists per game. In the following season 1988-89 was his breakthrough, as its yield soared to 19 points and 12 assists per game. As a reward he received the NBA Most Improved Player Award for the meistverbessertsten player and was selected team for the first of a total of 5 times in the All- NBA. Together with the wingers Tom Chambers and Dan Majerle and distance shooter Jeff Hornacek he formed the nucleus of that offensively strong Suns teams who attended in the early 90's sensation, but because of their defensive weakness never made the big hit. Johnson scored 22 points in that time resistant and 11 assists per game. 1991 Johnson was also awarded for his involvement with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.

In 1992, superstar power forward Charles Barkley was transferred to the Suns. With Barkley close to the basket and Johnson from a distance made ​​it the Suns in 1993, NBA finals, but were defeated by the Chicago Bulls to Michael Jordan in 6 games. Due to many small injuries stagnated Johnson in subsequent years at a high level, but he came back strong in 1993-94 by managed 20 points and 9.5 assists per game and led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets. Despite a strong series in which he performed a spectacular dunk on Rockets superstar Hakeem Olajuwon, resigned from the Suns in seven games. Johnson but remained in the 1994 FIBA World Championships harmless, where he won the gold medal with the United States.

1994 Johnson was the last great year. The injury-prone, he built declined physically and on, so he stopped at the age of 31 in 1998. Two years later, he made a brief comeback for the Suns and still played 6 games as a replacement of the injured Jason Kidd, before he completely ended his career. After end of his career his jersey number 7 was retired by the Suns, for his services.

Play

Johnson was known in its heyday as one of the strongest offensive playmaker in the NBA. Feared he was for his train to the basket and his ability to throw on the run both safe than to be able to also match the free man. Johnson is with Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas one of three players in NBA history, who scored more than 20 points and 12 assists per game in a season, and with Johnson and Oscar Robertson one of three who for three consecutive seasons both 20 points and 10 assists per game managed.

Awards

  • 3x NBA All -Star ( 1990, 1991, 1994)
  • Most Improved Player (1989 )
  • 4 x NBA All - Second Team (1989, 1990, 1991, 1994)
  • 1 x NBA All - Third Team (1992 )
  • J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award ( 1991)
  • Jersey number 7 was withdrawn by the Phoenix Suns

Career after the NBA

Johnson had after his playing career basketball commentator for NBC. In 2008, Johnson said he wanted to be mayor of his hometown of Sacramento. In the primaries in June 2008 as an independent candidate, he scored 46.08 % of the vote. The runoff election with Heather Fargo has decided with 57.5 % of the vote, Kevin Johnson. On 25 November, he has taken up his duties as mayor.

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