Gus Johnson (basketball)

Gus (Honeycomb) Johnson Jr. (December 13, 1938 – April 29, 1987) was an American college and professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA). A chiseled 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), 235-pound (107 kg) forward who occasionally played center, Johnson spent nine seasons with the Baltimore Bullets before he split his final campaign between the Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers, where he won the ABA championship in his final game. He was a five-time NBA All-Star before chronic knee issues and dubious off-court habits took their tolls late in his career.

Johnson was the prototype of the modern NBA power forward, a rare combination of brute strength, deceptive quickness, creative flair and startling leaping ability who played with equal flair and ferocity at both ends of the court. Well known for his frequent forays above the rim, he was among the first wave of great dunk shot artists in the game. He shattered three backboards on dunk attempts in his career, tearing down his first basket in 1964 at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis against the Hawks. He last shattered a backboard against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 10, 1971, leaving the game with an injured wrist.

Known as "The Honeycomb Kid", or "Honeycomb" for short, a nickname that his University of Idaho coach bestowed on him, Johnson was one of the colorful personalities of his era. He wore expensive shoes and Continental suits and drove a purple Bonneville convertible around town. Early in his career, he had a gold star set into one of his front teeth, which was readily seen in his friendly smile. Because as Johnson once put it, a star deserved a star.

As a member of the Bullets, Johnson was voted to the All-Rookie Team for 1963–64, averaging 17.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times and to the All-NBA Defense First Team on two occasions. His number 25 jersey was retired by the Bullets franchise in 1986, months before his death.

Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.