BIO: Rod Johnson was born in Wollongong (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Illawarra basketball program.

FAMILY: Rod’s brother, Terry Johnson also played 200 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Rod Johnson made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 19 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

In 1987, the Hawks had their best season to date, finishing in third place (20–6). As a rookie, Johnson added 2.1 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.

1988
In 1988, Johnson averaged 5.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, playing a key role in the Hawks rotation, helping the team finish reach a seventh place finish in the regular season with a 11-13 record.

1989
The 1989 season saw Johnson average 14.1 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists and played a key role for the Hawks who finished the year with a record of 7-17.

1990
During the 1990 season Johnson averaged 13.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists and helped the Hawks finish to a record of 13-13 and end the regular season in eighth place.

1991
The 1991 season saw Johnson average 14.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists during a season where the Hawks struggled against the competition.

On the 27th of July, 1991 Johnson was a part of the highest scoring game in NBL history when the Illawarra Hawks lost to the Melbourne Tigers 186-158 in a game where a total of 344 points were scored. Johnson contributed 15 points himself and added 3 assists and 2 steals to the stat sheet as well. Remarkably the Hawks shot 76% from the field, which remains the highest shooting percentage ever recorded by a team in a losing effort.

The Hawks managed only six wins this season, finishing with a 6-20 record.

NORTH MELBOURNE GIANTS
1992
In 1992 Johnson was lured to Melbourne after the Giants signed his brother Terry and offered him the chance to play alongside him in a starting role. The two brothers joined the Giants in the midst of a major re-structure with the team moving on from long-term head coach Bruce Palmer. Palmer, who since taking over in 1987, had led them to the semi finals five of six years and to the 1989 championship. His successor would be found in young Melbourne Tigers assistant Brett Brown whose appointment was deemed a cash-saving move by a team beginning to face years of financial uncertainty. Another sign of the Giant’s financial struggles became evident when they lost star import Scott Fisher to the ‘deeper pockets’ of the Perth Wildcats.

Brown began his search for Fisher’s replacement first with import Chuckie White, who failed to cut it during pre-season, before settling on Jason Reese. Reese was known around the league as ‘workhorse’ and dominant inside scorer that had spent the past two seasons with Hobart (1991) and Canberra (1992) and Mark Leader, who had became a naturalised Australian in 1993, replaced Fisher as team captain. Rod joined local talent Pat Reidy (16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.0 steals) and Darryl Pearce (11.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) in the starting lineup.

Terry Johnson (2.5 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) saw minimal playing opportunities that season but was used by Brown as a motivator for his brother. Twice Terry replaced Johnson (6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals) in the starting lineup, a move designed to get more production the older brother, that outcome resulted in Rod Johnson dropping 21 points, a season high, the following game against Perth.

Reese went on to lead the team in scoring (26.4 ppg and 8.9 rpg), fellow import Paul Maley led the team in rebounding (22.5 ppg and 9.1 rpg) and Johnson also contributed 2.5 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.

North Melbourne finished the season (13-13) sneaking into the final playoff spot. There, they would face familiar foes, Scott Fisher and the Perth Wildcats who had finished the season in first place (21-5). Despite winning game one at home (105-101), the Giants would lose games two (98-108) and three (104-117) to Perth to put a end to their season.

1993
In 1993, the Giants chose not to re-sign long-term head coach Bruce Palmer who, since taking over in 1987, had led them to the semi finals five of six years and to the 1989 championship. His successor would be found in young Melbourne Tigers assistant Brett Brown whose appointment was deemed a cash-saving move by a team beginning to face years of financial uncertainty. Another sign of the Giant’s financial struggles became evident when they lost star import Scott Fisher to the ‘deeper pockets’ of the Perth Wildcats.

Giants stalwart Mark Leader (who became a naturalised Australian in 1993) was named team captain and the team also added Rod’s younger brother Terry to the roster.

Next, Brown looked to replace Fisher, firstly with import Chuckie White, who failed to cut it during pre-season before signing Jason Reese, a player known around the league as ‘workhorse’ and dominant inside scorer that had spent the past two seasons with Hobart (1991) and Canberra (1992).

Reese went on to lead the team in scoring (26.4 ppg and 8.9 rpg), fellow import Paul Maley led the team in rebounding (22.5 ppg and 9.1 rpg) and Johnson also contributed 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

North Melbourne finished the season (13-13) sneaking into the final playoff spot. There, they would face familiar foes, Scott Fisher and the Perth Wildcats who had finished the season in first place (21-5). Despite winning game one at home (105-101), the Giants would lose games two (98-108) and three (104-117) to Perth to put a end to their season.

1994
1994 – ONE GIANT LEAP
North Melbourne’s financial struggles publicly came to light after 1993, but a group of new investors saved the team at the eleventh hour from its burgeoning financial woes. The new ownership made a number of changes, including a uniform design change, tossing away the team’s maroon uniforms and switching to the colours of the NBA’s most marketable outfit, the Charlotte Hornets.

The Giants’ roster had aged considerably in the years between its 1989 championship and 1994, with its roster now being the oldest roster in the league. Their decision to replace high-scoring forward Jason Reese with a 30-year-old point guard named Darryl McDonald was met with much surprise. The media and betting agencies promptly wrote off the Giants’ season, most tipping them to finish dead last. The pundits couldn’t have been more wrong, however, with McDonald (17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 10 assists and 3.0 steals per game) leading the league in steals and assists and when the Giants came home undefeated after the ‘Doomsday Double’, first avenging a home loss to Perth then holding off Adelaide at the Clipsal Powerhouse (a feat which hadn’t been achieved since 1986) fans really started to become excited.

Pat Reidy (19.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 3.4) and Paul Maley (19.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg) became the main beneficiaries of many of McDonald’s flashy assists, while Johnson finished the season averaging 12.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

The Giants would finish the season in second place, winning 19 of their 26 games. At season’s end, Brown would be named Coach of the Year. Also, quite controversially, McDonald finished second in both the NBL MVP (behind Andrew Gaze) and Best Defensive Player (Darren Lucas) awards, but McDonald responded by taking his game to a entirely new level for the playoffs.

After Sydney blitzed the Giants (131–109) in the opening game of the quarter-finals, McDonald led the Giants to a 112-91 victory in game two and a 104-95 victory in game three. In the deciding game, ‘D-Mac’ played all 48 minutes and filled the stat sheet with 17 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists while shooting 70% (7/10) from the field.

On the other side of the bracket, South East Melbourne eliminated Perth before being knocked out by the Giants after a Adonis Jordan three-point heave (he could have found a open David Graham for a better shot but missed him) in the game’s closing moments missed its mark and the chance to force a third game.

Game one of the Grand Final series was held at the Clipsal Powerhouse in Adelaide and after Robert Rose had dragged the Sixers back into the match when they still had trailed by 14 inside the last six minutes of regulation the ball ended up in McDonald’s hands before he nailed the game-winning shot in overtime, delivering a 95–93 win.

As the series moved to the Glasshouse in Melbourne for game two Rose would come out firing, his 31 point effort would see him finish as the game’s high scoring. Still, a balanced attack from North Melbourne proved too strong for the 36ers. The Giants would control the first half, the scoreboard reading 51-41 at halftime, and with 36ers forward Mark Davis in serious pain, the Giants were able to put the foot down in the third quarter and then closed out the game with a 117-97 victory.

Paul Rees, who benefitted greatly from McDonald’s passing all series, finished up earning the Finals MVP award after delivering 17 points and 5 rebounds in game one and 20 points (making all seven of his shots) and 7 rebounds in game two.

1995
During the 1995 season, Johnson averaged 11.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists and was a part of the Giants squad which finished in second place with a record of 18-8.

1996
The Giants would return almost their entire roster in 1996 as the team looked to go one step further after finishing runners-up in 1995. The only roster changes being the addition of Tonny Jensen, a member of the Australian Boomers, who would replace the retiring Mark Leader and a returning Paul Maley would replace import Chris Jent after he delivered one of the greatest one and done seasons in NBL history.

Pat Reidy would lead the team in scoring, averaging 20.8 points as well as 6.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while McDonald would deliver another stellar season, putting up 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and a league leading 10 assists per game. Johnson would average 9.1 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists alongside the two stars and in a extremely close season, where only two games seperated third place and eight place. The Giants finished with a 15-11 record and in seventh place finish on the NBL ladder.

North Melbourne would face crosstown rivals South East Melbourne who would make quick work of the Giants behind a season high 19 points from Andrew Parkinson in game one, a 82-96 loss and a 25 point effort from Tony Ronaldson in game two, which resulted in a 77-87 defeat and the end to the Giants season.

At seasons end McDonald would again be named to the All-NBL First team.

1997
In 1997, the Giants were beginning to feel the pinch financially and struggling to retain talent. He would lose the services of forwards Tonny Jensen (via Newcastle) and Paul Maley (again due to crippling back problems) However, due to the demise of team’s in Gold Coast and Hobart, he would benefit by making some key free agent signings. Import Mike Mitchell and young gun David Stiff, both looking for new NBL homes, joined the team as Coach Brett Browncleverly tried to make the most of his team budget by playing the entire season with the league minimum of 11 players.

Another setback that hurt the Giants was when Paul Rees suffered a severe knee injury that kept him out for the majority of the season, only to then see him return and break his wrist against the Bullets in the second last round of the season. Behind star import Darryl McDonald (17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 8.9 assists) and leading scorer Pat Reidy (20.2 points and 5.7 rebounds), they had enough talent to keep the Giants’ competitive. Johnson would average 10.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, as the team finished the year in third place, behind a 18-12 record.

Starting centre Paul Rees was able to return for the playoffs, his presence making a huge difference as the Giants handily defeated the Canberra Cannons (2-1) in the Elimination Finals.

The Giants were eliminated in the next round by the extremely talented Melbourne Tigers (0-2), who went on to win the NBL championship.

CANBERRA CANNONS
1998
Johnson averaged 8.4 points and 2.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during a lacklustre season where the Cannons limped home to a seventh place finish with a 14-16 record.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS
1998/99
Entering the 1998/99 season, the Falcons were in dire financial trouble, but on the brink of the season starting, they secured funds from a group of investors from Albury. As a result, the Falcons were able to retain local talent Ben Melmeth, Terry Johnson and import Todd Mundt but were forced to build the rest of the team on a shoestring budget. Somewhat luckily, Newcastle benefitted from the merger of South East Melbourne and North Melbourne, which saw Pat Reidy and import Butch Hays both former Giants players, without a team. With few NBL team’s having any space on their rosters at this stage, the Falcons were able to sign both at budget prices. Dean Brogan (via Adelaide), Rod Johnson (via Canberra) and legendary shot blocker Willie Simmons was lured out of retirement to play another season.

While obvious favourites to finish on the bottom of the ladder, the Falcons surprised everyone by winning five of their first six games.

Shortly after, reports of players not being paid their salaries surfaced, and the focus, motivation and production among the players began to wane. Mundt exited the team as a result of not getting paid on time and was replaced with Simmons (14.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals) who after a season playing with Sydney was sitting at home after being unable to find another new deal.

The remainder of the season then saw Newcastle record three wins from their next nineteen games before finally beating Perth (113–111) in their final game of the year.

Pat Reidy (17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals) led the team in scoring, Ben Melmeth (17.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals) led the team in rebounds while Terry Johnson (14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.1 steals) delivered his best season at the point guard position and his brother Rod Johnson (11.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) rounded out the team’s leading scorers.

After narrowly surviving the season before, this would prove to be the death knell for Newcastle, with the league stepping in to address their financial situation and its result being the removal of their NBL licence and the Falcons being forced out of the league.

BRISBANE BULLETS
1999/00
The team were unable to retain imports Chuck Kornegay (Spain) and Steve Woodberry (Sydney), who both left for high-paying deals, and by the 1999/00 season, Leroy Loggins (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game) was finally showing signs of slowing down. By now, his numbers had dropped to career lows across the board, and the Bullets began to plan for life after Leroy.

Head coach Brian Kerle signed his son Simon Kerle and Jason Cameron (both via Townsville) as well as Brendan Mann (via Canberra) to build a local core to build around, adding them to existing young talent, Phil Doherty and Mark Nash. Johnson was also added for some veteran leadership, and import signings Kelvin Price and Sheldon Quarles rounded out the roster.

Amazingly, Loggins (15.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals) was still a vital cog in the Bullets’ offence and continued to clock 29 minutes of playing time each game despite being 42 years old. Kerle (14.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) did what he could, while Price (12.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Quarles (11.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) underperformed, to say the least. The Bullets didn’t quite have the talent they did the previous year and finished 7-21, causing Loggins to miss the playoffs for only the third time in his 20 seasons in the NBL.

Johnson appeared in 24 games and averaged 8.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.

Rod Johnson played fourteen seasons across five NBL teams. This included the Illawarra Hawks, North Melbourne Giants, Newcastle Falcons, Canberra Cannons and Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 367 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 47th in total assists
– 43rd in total steals

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.