Avery Johnson

Avery Johnson is a retired NBA basketball player and current head coach. He most recently coached the Dallas Mavericks before being fired after after the team's first round loss in the 2008 NBA Playoffs.

On October 17, 2008, it was reported that Johnson was hired as a studio analyst for ESPN's NBA shoot around pregame show. Johnson will work with Bill Walton and Stuart Scott throughout the 2008-2009 season.¹

Fast Facts

1. Born March 25, 1965
2. Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana
3. College: Southern University
4. Height: 5'11"
5. Weight: 185 lbs
6. Position: Point guard
7. 1988: NBA Debut
8. 1999: NBA Champion (San Antonio Spurs)
9. 2004: Retires as player
10. 2006: NBA Coach of the Year
11. Fastest head coach to win 100 games

Playing Career

Avery Johnson signed with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1988 as an undrafted free agent. Johnson spent 16 years in the NBA as a player with five different teams, most notably the San Antonio Spurs. Johnson was a key member of the Spurs' 1999 championship run. As the starting point guard, Johnson a series-clinching shot in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. Johnson's jersey number 6 was retired by the Spurs on December 22, 2007.

Coaching

In 2004, Johnson signed with the Dallas Mavericks as a player-coach under Don Nelson. Johnson took over full-time for Nelson on March 19, 2005. Johnson would lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2006, but they would lose to the Miami Heat in four straight games after winning the first two.

Johnson's Mavericks would finish with the league's best record at the end of 2007, but were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors.

In 2008, after losing again in the first round of the playoffs, Johnson was fired as head coach by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

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