Who is former NBA star Gus Johnson? Taking a closer look at former Bullets star

The late Gus Johnson was an NBA star who spent the majority of his career with the Baltimore Bullets. Johnson entered the league in the 1963-64 season at the age of 25. He spent nine seasons with the Bullets before playing in his 10th and final season with the Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers. In the 1972-73 season, the Pacers were still part of the ABA.

But before his legendary basketball career, what path did Johnson take to carve his way into the sport?

The life and career of Gus Johnson

Gus Johnson, just like LeBron James, was a kid from Akron, Ohio. He grew up with five siblings. As a teenager, Johnson played for Akron Central High School, where he became an all-state player. It was surprising to see how well he performed in sports considering that he frequently hung out in bars and pool halls at the time.

Come his college years, Johnson accepted a basketball scholarship from Idaho but initially played for Boise Junior College. During his time with the Broncos, he averaged 30 points and 20 rebounds per game.

In 1962, Johnson moved to the University of Idaho in Moscow. He was a skilled junior and during the 1962-63 season, he averaged 19.0 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. This led Idaho to a 20-6 record, which was their best in 36 years.

After his junior season, Gus Johnson decided to go pro and enter the 1963 NBA draft. Despite the clear talent he had at the time, Johnson was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the second round as the 10th pick.

In his 10-year career, Johnson was named an All-Star five times. One in his second season, then four in a row from 1968-1971. No one really expected Johnson to flourish in the way that he did considering that he was a second-round pick. While Gus struggled to win NBA titles, he fittingly ended his career by winning a championship in the ABA with Indiana.

Nobody else could've asked for a better ending. After his short championship stint with the Indiana Pacers, Johnson retired at the young age of 34. However, 14 years later, the NBA legend died of brain cancer on April 29, 1987, shocking the entire basketball world. The Washington Bullets then paid tribute to him, retiring his jersey No. 25 on his birthday, Dec. 13.