Ollie Johnson (basketball, born 1942)
Encyclopedia
Oliver "Ollie" Johnson is a retired American
basketball
player. He was an All-American
forward at the University of San Francisco
and a first round draft pick in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) in 1965.
Johnson, a 6'7 power forward from Spingarn High School
in Washington, D.C.
, played college basketball at the University of San Francisco from 1962 to 1965. At USF, Johnson was a first team All-West Coast Conference
pick each of his three years there (freshmen were ineligible) and was named WCC player of the year
as a junior and senior. Johnson led the Dons to WCC championships and NCAA tournament appearances in all three of his seasons. The Dons lost in the West regional final in consecutive years to eventual champion UCLA
. In the 1965 NCAA tournament
, Johnson led all players in scoring in rebounding average as he tallied 36 points and 18.5 rebounds per game.
For his career, Ollie Johnson scored 1,668 points (19.9 per game) and grabbed 1,323 rebounds (15.8 per game), ranking him in the school's top ten all-time in both categories. In addition to his conference accolades, Johnson was named an All-American in 1964 and 1965.
Johnson was drafted in the first round of the 1965 NBA Draft
by the Boston Celtics
(8th pick overall), but he never played in the NBA. After being cut by the Celtics, he played for the San Francisco Athletic Club in the Amateur Athletic Union
, where he was named an AAU All-American
in 1965. He then played overseas in the Basketball League Belgium
for three seasons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He was an All-American
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
forward at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and a first round draft pick in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) in 1965.
Johnson, a 6'7 power forward from Spingarn High School
Spingarn High School
Joel Elias Spingarn High School is a public high school located in the District of Columbia. The school is named after Joel Elias Spingarn an American educator and literary critic who established the Spingarn Medal, awarded annually for outstanding achievement by an African American.Springarn...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, played college basketball at the University of San Francisco from 1962 to 1965. At USF, Johnson was a first team All-West Coast Conference
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
pick each of his three years there (freshmen were ineligible) and was named WCC player of the year
West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
The West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the most outstanding men's basketball player in the West Coast Conference. The award was first given following the 1952–53 season, when the conference was known as the California Basketball Association...
as a junior and senior. Johnson led the Dons to WCC championships and NCAA tournament appearances in all three of his seasons. The Dons lost in the West regional final in consecutive years to eventual champion UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
. In the 1965 NCAA tournament
1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1965 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1965, and ended with the championship game on March 20 in Portland, Oregon...
, Johnson led all players in scoring in rebounding average as he tallied 36 points and 18.5 rebounds per game.
For his career, Ollie Johnson scored 1,668 points (19.9 per game) and grabbed 1,323 rebounds (15.8 per game), ranking him in the school's top ten all-time in both categories. In addition to his conference accolades, Johnson was named an All-American in 1964 and 1965.
Johnson was drafted in the first round of the 1965 NBA Draft
1965 NBA Draft
The 1965 NBA Draft was the 19th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 6, 1965, before the 1965–66 season....
by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
(8th pick overall), but he never played in the NBA. After being cut by the Celtics, he played for the San Francisco Athletic Club in the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
, where he was named an AAU All-American
AAU Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Amateur Athletic Union Men's Basketball All-Americans were players who competed in the Amateur Athletic Union between 1920–21 and 1967–68 and were chosen as the best players in the league during their respective seasons. Founded in 1888, the Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest...
in 1965. He then played overseas in the Basketball League Belgium
Basketball League Belgium
The Basketball League Belgium , also known as the Ligue Ethias or Ethias League, is the highest professional basketball league in Belgium.-Teams:* Antwerp Giants* Belgacom Liège Basket* Dexia Mons-Hainaut* Generali Okapi Aalstar...
for three seasons.