Cleveland Cavaliers: 15 greatest draft steals in franchise history
By John Buhler
- Three seasons w/Cavaliers (1970-73)
- 2x NBA All-Star (1970-71, 1971-72)
- 231 career games w/Cavaliers
- 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game w/Cavaliers
John Johnson seemed to make his team better wherever he played. After playing his high school ball in Milwaukee, Johnson would go the junior college route before becoming a star in the Big Ten for the Iowa Hawkeyes. After being a Third-Team All-American in 1970, Johnson was the No. 7 overall pick in the NBA Draft that year.
While Johnson only spent three years in Cleveland, they were very important in the early years of the franchise. Right out of the gate, Johnson proved to be an impactful player for the Cavaliers, as he made the NBA All-Star Game in both of his first two years in the league. In fact, Johnson was the first Cavaliers player to make an all-star roster.
Johnson averaged 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists as a rookie in 1970-71. He followed that brilliant first campaign in the league with 17.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game as a second year pro. Those his numbers dipped down in year three in the league, Johnson would go on to average 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in 231 career contests for the Cavaliers.
However, 1972-73 would be Johnson’s last year in Northeast Ohio. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in April 1973. He would spent the bulk of the 1970s with the Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets before ending his career on a high note with the then-Seattle SuperSonics.
Traded to Seattle in 1977, Johnson would be a key piece to the SuperSonics roster that became a perennial contender in the Western Conference. In 1978-79, Seattle would win its only NBA championship with the offense running through Johnson as an early prototype for the point forward.
Overall, Johnson spent 12 years in the NBA playing for four franchises. While he had most of his team success in Seattle, his best statistical seasons came in his early days in Cleveland. Being that he was Cleveland’s first All-Star, as well as one of the first point forwards in NBA history, Johnson’s spot in the top-10 on this all-time list feels pretty secure.