Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Former Celtics great Johnson dies at 52
AP ^ | Feb 22,v 2007

Posted on 02/22/2007 4:15:40 PM PST by Thebaddog

Dennis Johnson, the star NBA guard who was part of three championships and teamed with Larry Bird on one of the great postseason plays, died Thursday after collapsing at the end of his developmental team's practice. He was 52. Johnson, coach of the Austin Toros, was unconscious and in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived at Austin Convention Center, said Warren Hassinger, spokesman for Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him for 23 minutes before he was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, Hassinger added. Mayra Freeman, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office, said there will be an autopsy. The Toros postponed home games Friday and Saturday nights, the NBA Development League said. "He was one of the most underrated players in the history of the game, in my opinion, and one of the greatest Celtic acquisitions of all time," said former Boston teammate Danny Ainge, now the Celtics' executive director of basketball operations. "D.J. was a free spirit and a fun personality who loved to laugh and play the game. Johnson was born Sept. 18, 1954, in Compton, Calif. He played at Pepperdine and was drafted by Seattle in 1976. Johnson was traded to Phoenix in 1980 and Boston in 1983. He is survived by his wife, Donna, sons Dwayne and Daniel, and a daughter, Denise.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: celtics; dennisjohnson; dj; nba
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last
Dang. He was one of the good guys when the NBA was awesome. Godspeed, Dennis.
1 posted on 02/22/2007 4:15:42 PM PST by Thebaddog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

Much too young.


2 posted on 02/22/2007 4:16:55 PM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

more:\
(lots of replies, headline only):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1789403/posts


3 posted on 02/22/2007 4:17:33 PM PST by xcamel (Press to Test, Release to Detonate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
You gotta be kidding me. DJ? Dennis Johnson? Aw man...


4 posted on 02/22/2007 4:18:03 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Good night Chesty, wherever you are!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

Oh no.


5 posted on 02/22/2007 4:19:06 PM PST by Perdogg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

:-(


6 posted on 02/22/2007 4:22:26 PM PST by lysie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
You've got that right. He was my age. Athletes are like roman candles.

He sure made things good in his day. I kinda like that he went doing his sport.

7 posted on 02/22/2007 4:23:13 PM PST by Thebaddog (Labrador Retrievers are the dog's dog)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

Geez, that too bad, I really liked DJ Back in the day B-Ball was worth watching...RIP





8 posted on 02/22/2007 4:23:46 PM PST by mowowie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

A whole generation of NBA/NFL/MLB stars whom commanded respect will pass... Now, the thugageneration rules... but I ignore!


9 posted on 02/22/2007 4:26:03 PM PST by nctexan (Top 10 Presidential Reqs. for 2008 - see my homepage)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
I am in Austin.

There is a funk over the town. He was really a GOOD GUY.

RIP DJ

10 posted on 02/22/2007 4:26:06 PM PST by daniel boob (ISLAM - The New Communism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mowowie

So true. The Celts were the team. Did I forget Magic Johnson?


11 posted on 02/22/2007 4:26:16 PM PST by Thebaddog (Labrador Retrievers are the dog's dog)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

I pretty much can't stand Boston, but Dennis Johnson, Parrish, Bird, McHale, and Ainge were a fascinating bunch.


12 posted on 02/22/2007 4:31:22 PM PST by Arkinsaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Arkinsaw

There's something about a long swoosh shot from way outside,, a long range bomber.. usually dead-eye on.. sorry to hear of his sudden passing.


13 posted on 02/22/2007 4:37:25 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

DJ was a Supersonic too. The town loved him !


14 posted on 02/22/2007 4:37:41 PM PST by llevrok ("“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

A key member of Seattle's only championship team, over the Bullets in '79. That was a great bunch of guys.


15 posted on 02/22/2007 4:38:04 PM PST by beelzepug (the Nikonoclast)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

Without D.J., we wouldn't have our only major championship in Seattle.

RIP Dennis Johnson.


16 posted on 02/22/2007 4:39:13 PM PST by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (Life is tough. It's even tougher when you're stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
I grew up watching the great Celtic teams of the 80s. First Red and now DJ.

Aw man, it feels like I lost one of my best friends...

17 posted on 02/22/2007 4:42:26 PM PST by John123 (Dick Morris predicts Hitlery will be the worst president ever... I will now light myself on fire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

He was about the only NBA name I knew. He seemed like one of the good ones. That's too bad.


18 posted on 02/22/2007 4:46:12 PM PST by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

Game 5. I'll never forget it.


19 posted on 02/22/2007 4:46:54 PM PST by zarf (Her hair was of a dank yellow, and fell over her temples like sauerkraut......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog

Memories of The Steal, from a Pistons fan. Those were the days when teams had personality.


20 posted on 02/22/2007 4:59:29 PM PST by FlyVet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson