| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 17, 1943 Jackson, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | George Washington (New York City, New York) |
| College | Creighton (1964–1966) |
| NBA draft | 1966: 1st round, 15th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Baltimore Bullets |
| Playing career | 1966–1973 |
| Position | Power forward / center |
| Number | 11, 12 |
| Career history | |
| 1966–1968 | New York Knicks |
| 1968–1970 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1970–1973 | Virginia Squires |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA and ABA statistics | |
| Points | 2,633 (6.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,003 (5.3 rpg) |
| Assists | 632 (1.7 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Neil A. Johnson (born April 17, 1943) is an American former basketball player born in Jackson, Michigan.
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A 6'7" forward/center from Creighton University, Johnson played four seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the New York Knicks (1966–1968) and Phoenix Suns (1968–1970), then spent three seasons (1970–1973) in the American Basketball Association with the Virginia Squires. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in his professional career and appeared in the 1971 ABA All-Star Game. [1]
Known as an "enforcer", Johnson is remembered in the ABA oral history book Loose Balls for punching Warren Jabali in a game between the Virginia Squires and Denver Rockets. Referee John Vanak called the punch "the most devastating punch [he'd] ever seen on the court". According to Vanak, Jabali was one of the most physical players in the ABA, and had been shoving Johnson and his teammates throughout the game until Johnson retaliated. Dave Twardzik of the Squires recalled, "It scared the hell out of me, but the guys on my team were loving it because the whole league hated Jabali." [2]