Dr Dave Adkins and why he should be in the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
February 14, 2021
Darryl Johnson
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth: 10/06/77
- Place of Birth: Flint, Michigan (USA)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 198
- Weight (KG): 77
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Michigan State (1983-1987)
- NBL DEBUT: 14/10/06
- AGE AT DEBUT: 29
- LAST NBL GAME: 10/02/07
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 29
- NBL History: Townsville 1994
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Bailey was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Piscataway, where he attended Piscataway Township High School, leading the school’s basketball team to a 23–2 record and a Group IV state championship as a junior in 1993/94.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Darryl Johnson made his NBL debut with the Townsville Suns at 29 years of age. He scored 24 points in his first game.
Darryl Johnson played one season in the NBL. He averaged 24.9 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 20 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 17 | Townsville | 6-20 (13) | 20 | 928 | 499 | 81 | 103 | 24 | 57 | 56 | 6 | 89 | 71 | 197 | 392 | 50% | 39 | 131 | 30% | 66 | 85 | 78% | 58% | 55% | 40 | Totals | 20 | 928 | 499 | 81 | 103 | 24 | 57 | 56 | 6 | 89 | 71 | 197 | 392 | 50.3% | 39 | 131 | 29.8% | 66 | 85 | 77.6% | 58% | 55% | 40 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 17 | Townsville | 6-20 (13) | 20 | 46.4 | 25.0 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 9.9 | 19.6 | 50% | 2.0 | 6.6 | 30% | 3.3 | 4.3 | 78% | 58% | 55% | 40 | Total | 20 | 46.4 | 25.0 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 9.9 | 19.6 | 50.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.8% | 2.0 | 6.6 | 77.6% | 58% | 55% | 40 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 40 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
|---|
NBA EXPERIENCE
Darryl Johnson was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with pick #58 in the 1987 NBA Draft.
Johnson spent several seasons playing in the CBA before and after his short stint in the NBA. He also time with Indiana Pacers (1990 training camp) and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Johnson played 11 games in the NBA. He averaged 1.1 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game over his NBA career.
NBA TRANSACTIONS:
- June 22, 1987: Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the 3rd round (58th pick) of the 1987 NBA Draft.
- March 5, 1996: Signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- March 15, 1996: Signed a second 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- March 25, 1996: Signed a third contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- August 22, 1996: The Cleveland Cavaliers renounced their free-agent exception rights to him.
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 98% | 97% | 100% | 71% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 40 | 10 | 7 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 197 | 392 | 50.3% | 39 | 131 | 29.8% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 30 | Cleveland | PG | 11 | 0 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 47% | 42% | Total | 11 | 0 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 42% | 0 | 1 | 0% | 2 | 2 | 100% |
NBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 30 | Cleveland | PG | 11 | 0 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 42% | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 47% | 42% | Total | 11 | 0 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 42% | 0.1 | 0% | 0.2 | 0.2 | 100% |
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Philippines - Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs (1991) | Canada - 1993 | Italy - Napoli Basket (1996–1997) | Spain - Valvi Girona (1997–1998) | Argentina - Instituto de Córdoba (1998–1999), Atlético San Isidro (1999–2001) | Chile - Unión Deportiva Española Temuco (2002–2003)
In 1991, Johnson played in the Philippine Basketball Association with Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, where he was recruited as a Third Conference import and appeared between September 17 and September 24, 1991. He averaged 24.0 points per game across three appearances during that stretch.
In 1993, Johnson played in Canada’s National Basketball League and was named to the league’s All-League team for the 1993 season.
Johnson later moved to Europe, playing in Italy with Napoli Basket in 1996–97 before joining Valvi Girona in Spain’s Liga ACB for the 1997–98 season. In 21 ACB games with Girona, he averaged 16.2 points per game in 31:44 per outing, along with 3.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals, before being released in February 1998.
From there he shifted to South America, joining Instituto de Córdoba in Argentina for the 1998–99 season, before being waived in January 1999. He then moved to Atlético San Isidro in San Francisco, Córdoba, where he played across the 1999–2000 and 2000–01 campaigns and was part of a run that reached the TNA semifinals in 2000–01. One of his best-noted performances in Argentina came in a TNA quarterfinal game against Deportivo Roca when he scored 48 points, shooting 15-of-18 on two-pointers, 15-of-15 at the foul line and 1-of-1 from three.
Johnson’s finished his pro career in Chile with Unión Deportiva Española Temuco during the 2002–03 season.
COLLEGE
Darryl Johnson enjoyed a successful four-year run (1983–87) at Michigan State University, developing from a rotation freshman into the primary scoring guard of the 1986–87 Spartans and finishing with 1,383 career points across 107 games (64 starts).
As a freshman in 1983–84, Johnson averaged 6.0 points and 1.2 assists per game while the Spartans finished 15–13 (8–10 in the Big Ten Conference) under Jud Heathcote, with assistant coach Tom Izzo beginning his first season on the bench as an official assistant. Johnson followed that with 5.3 points per game as a sophomore in 1984–85, when Michigan State went 19–10 (10–8) and returned to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament for the first time since 1979.
Johnson’s junior season in 1985–86 was his breakout year, as he started all 29 games he played, averaged 16.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, and helped Michigan State post a 23–8 record (12–6) while reaching the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed, beating Washington and Georgetown before falling to Kansas in the regional semifinal.
As a senior in 1986–87, Johnson carried the scoring load at 22.1 points per game (247 field goals, 13 made threes, and 111 free throws), added 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, and produced a standout .910 free-throw percentage (111-of-122) for the season, while the team finished 11–17 (6–12). During that final year, he scored his 1,000th career point in his 90th game, hitting the milestone against Purdue on January 3, 1987.
Across his four Michigan State seasons, Johnson’s statistical line (1,383 points, 289 assists, 258 rebounds, .536 field-goal percentage and .830 at the foul line) reflected both his late-career scoring surge and his steady guard production, and he earned All-Big Ten recognition in 1986–87 while playing his home games at Jenison Field House.
Related
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