Vinnie Johnson
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| Position | Shooting guard |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Born | September 1, 1956 Brooklyn, New York City |
| Nationality | USA |
| College | Baylor |
| Draft | 7th overall, 1979 Seattle SuperSonics |
| Pro career | 1979–1992 |
| Former teams | Seattle SuperSonics (1979–1981) Detroit Pistons (1981–1991) San Antonio Spurs (1991–1992) |
Vincent "Vinnie" Johnson (born September 1, 1956 in Brooklyn, New York) is a retired American professional basketball player and a key player on the Detroit Pistons who won the NBA championship in both 1989 and 1990.
At 6'2", Johnson's skill set allowed him to replace either Isiah Thomas or Joe Dumars from the bench. Johnson earned the nickname "the Microwave" from Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge for his ability to score many points in a short period of time (i.e., Johnson could heat up the offense of the team in short order) and his "instant defense". On June 19, 1990, Vinnie landed a 14-footer in the last second, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 92-90 in Game 5 of the finals, and giving Detroit the championship.
The Pistons honored Johnson's remarkable career contribution by retiring his number 15 jersey in a ceremony on February 5, 1994 at The Palace. He was influenced by Earl Monroe growing up and only wore number 15 throughout his playing days. When asked about it by a fan later he said, "It was a huge honor. The fact that they retired my jersey tells me that I did some great things for the organization."
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This biographical article relating to a U.S. basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
