American · New Orleans, Louisiana · Born 25 March 1965American basketball point guard who won NBA Championship with San Antonio Spurs in 1999 and led league in assists in 1996 during 16-year career
Avery Johnson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1965. He went undrafted in 1988 after four years at Southern University — a historically Black institution. He earned his way onto NBA rosters through sheer determination and eventually became one of the San Antonio Spurs' key players. He won the NBA championship with San Antonio in 1999. He led the NBA in assists in 1996 with 10.5 per game. He was selected to one All-Star game. He was nicknamed the Little General — at 5ft 11in he was one of the shorter starting point guards of his era, but his energy, passing and vocal leadership made him a disproportionate presence. He became head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the 2006 NBA Finals. His coaching of the Mavericks — against his former team the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals — produced one of the more compelling narrative arcs of that playoff era. His undrafted journey to NBA champion and later head coach is one of basketball's better stories.
Floor general point guard, NBA champion with San Antonio Spurs
How They Played
Pass-first point guard with excellent court vision and leadership
Lasting Impact
Reliable veteran leader who maximized limited athleticism through basketball IQ
Career Honours
- NBA Champion (1999)
- All-Star 1x
- NBA assists leader (1996)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle SuperSonics | 1990–1993 | 374 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1993–1996 | 246 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 1994–2001 | 525 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 2001–2002 | 70 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 2002–2004 | 141 |
American Athletes