Gus Johnson was both a great basketball player and one of the most unique characters ever to be in the NBA. He is renowned for having a gold star drilled into a front tooth as well as many other antics. Johnson was a high school star but got very little interest from major universities. He was forced to settle on Boise Junior College, now Boise State University, where he played one season before going to the University of Idaho for a season. After one season with the Vandals he entered the NBA draft. Johnson became the 10th pick in the NBA draft by the Chicago Zephyrs. Before the season the Zephyrs moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets. Johnson was a starter and enjoyed a very successful rookie season finishing second in rookie of the year voting.

In his second season Johnson seen even more success. He made the 1965 all-star game and averaged 18 points a game as well. In his third season Johnson suffered a knee injury which limited his minutes but the following season he came back and averaged a career high 21 points a game.

Injuries began to dominate Johnson’s career. Following the 1967 season he played in only 70 or more games once and in several seasons played in less than 50 games. Injuries were a common theme for the Bullets team as well, and they regularly did very well in the regular season only to have a plethora of injuries come playoff time and lose. The Bullets did get to the finals in 1971 only to lose to the Lew Alcindor lead Milwaukee Bucks.

Johnson fell out of the rotation as injuries continued to hamper his play and the Bullets acquired Elvin Hayes. Following the 1972 season the Bullets traded Johnson to the Phoenix Suns. Johnson lasted just 21 games with the Suns before being waived.

Johnson was picked up by the Indiana Pacers of the ABA and became a key bench player for them. The Pacers won the 1973 ABA title with Johnson as a member of the team. Johnson called in quits after the season.

In all Johnson was a 5 time NBA all-star who averaged 17 points a game in 9 seasons in the NBA and a half season in the ABA. Many basketball historians agree that Johnson would be better remembered had he not suffered the injuries that he did and that the injuries are the season he never made things like the 50 greatest players and is largely forgotten by NBA fans.

Gus Johnson was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer in the 1980s and died April 29,1987 in Akron Ohio. Before he died he was honored during a game between Idaho and Boise State for his services as the most recognized colligate athlete ever in the state of Idaho.

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