Kevin Maurice Johnson
55th Mayor of Sacramento
Incumbent
Assumed office December 2, 2008
Preceded by	Heather Fargo
Personal details
Born	(1966-03-04) March 4, 1966 (age 46) Sacramento, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Michelle Rhee[1][2]
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley
Profession	Basketball player, Politician

Kevin Maurice Johnson (born March 4, 1966) is the current mayor of Sacramento, the capital city of the U.S. state of California. He is Sacramento's first African American mayor.^[3] Prior to entering politics, Johnson was a professional basketball player in the NBA, playing point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns. As a player, he was a three-time NBA All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection who holds many records for the Phoenix Suns franchise.^[4] At University of California, Berkeley, Johnson had been a two-time All-Pac-10 Conference player who was also an honorable-mention All-American by the Associated Press sportswriters.^[5][6] Johnson was a 2000 graduate of the Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute, a program that prepares students for work in faith-based urban economic revitalization. He also has a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley that he completed after his initial retirement from the NBA.

Early life[link]

Johnson, the son of Georgia West and Lawrence Johnson, was born March 4, 1966 in Sacramento. After Johnson's father drowned in an accident in the Sacramento River, he was raised by his grandparents, the Peat family. He attended Sacramento High School, where he starred in both baseball and basketball and led the state of California in scoring (32.5 ppg) during his senior year.

Basketball career[link]

University of California[link]

Johnson accepted a scholarship to play basketball for the University of California, Berkeley. Playing all four seasons, Johnson ended his college basketball career in 1987 as the school's all-time leader in assists, steals, and scoring (since eclipsed by Lamond Murray and Jerome Randle). He was also the first player in the Pac-10 Conference to post a triple-double in statistics, and he was named to the Pac-10's all-conference First Team in both his junior and senior seasons, averaging 17.2 points and 5.0 assists in his final basketball season. His number 11 is retired.

Johnson briefly played for California's baseball team, as well,^[7] and the Oakland Athletics drafted him in 1986 to play professional baseball as a shortstop. In the summer of 1986 between his junior and senior years in college, the twenty-year old Johnson played a couple games with Oakland's minor-league team in Modesto, California, but after seeing that a journey through the sparsely funded minor leagues would be arduous and riskier than his basketball prospects, Johnson never looked back to baseball. Instead, following a stellar senior season of college basketball, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him seventh in the 1987 NBA Draft, surprising many observers, including the TBS broadcasters.^[8]

Phoenix Suns[link]

Originally drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers to challenge the incumbent point guard Mark Price of Georgia Tech for the starting spot, Johnson found himself on the bench as Price's backup during the 1987-88 NBA season because Price significantly improved during training camp and convincingly won the starting job. On February 28, 1988, Johnson (along with his teammates Mark West and Tyrone Corbin) was traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the forward Larry Nance, Mike Sanders and a future draft pick. Phoenix also received a draft pick in the trade – one that was used the next season to select the future stalwart swingman Dan Majerle. Adjusting rapidly to the change of scenery and much-increased playing time, Johnson excelled and the league named him the NBA Rookie of the Month for April 1988, when he averaged 15.1 points, 10.6 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and an 86.4 free-throw percentage.

The next year in his first full season with Phoenix, Johnson blossomed into one of the game's elite players, averaging 20.4 points, 12.2 assists, a 50.5% field goal percentage, and an 88.2% free throw percentage to win the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. Indeed, Johnson joined Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas as the only players in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points and 12.0 assists in a season, a fact that holds to this day. The 1988–89 campaign, in which the perennially losing Suns reversed their fortunes and rocketed from 28 wins to 55 (second-most in the West), constituted the first of three straight seasons in which Johnson averaged at least 20 points and 10 assists, joining Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas as the only players in league history to accomplish that feat for three consecutive seasons. From 1989 to 1991 he received berths on the All-NBA Second Team, earning Third Team honors in 1992 and Second Team honors again in 1994. Johnson also was selected to the NBA All-Star Team in 1990, 1991, and 1994 and made the playoffs every year of his career after his rookie season. In the 1991 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, Johnson wore no. 41 instead of his familiar #7. NBC announcers Bob Costas and Mike Fratello speculated it was to honor teammate Mark West, who was not picked to participate in the 40th All-Star Game, despite his valuable contributions on the boards and in the trenches for the Suns on a nightly basis.

Kevin Johnson started the 1991 All-Star Game alongside Magic Johnson in the Western Conference back-court and in anticipation of the game, the Sporting News asked whether Kevin Johnson may have surpassed Magic as the best player on the court. The previous spring in the 1990 Western Conference Semifinals, Kevin Johnson led the Suns past Magic's league-best, 63-win Lakers by a tally of four games to one, winning twice in Los Angeles. While Magic (the NBA's MVP for the third time in four years) averaged 43.0 points and 8.5 assists in the last two games of the series in a desperate attempt to salvage the Lakers' season (actually scoring 43 points in both contests), Johnson responded by averaging 33.5 points and 12.0 assists as the Suns won both games. In the fourth quarter of Game Five at the Great Western Forum, with the Lakers staring at their earliest playoff exist in nine years, Magic scored 7 points (3-5 FG, 1-2 FT) with 2 assists, 3 turnovers, and 0 steals, while Kevin Johnson poured in 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-4 FT) with 3 assists, 0 turnovers, and 2 steals. With 3:55 remaining, the Lakers still led 95-90, but from that point forward, Johnson scored 8 points (2-2 FG, 4-4 FT) with 1 assist, no turnovers, and 1 steal, while Magic mustered zero points (0-2 FG [including an air ball], 0-1 FT), 0 assists, 0 steals, and 1 turnover). The Suns won, leading Hall of Fame center and NBC commentator Bill Walton to remark during Game Seven of the 1995 Western Conference Semifinals (Houston at Phoenix), "Kevin Johnson, who, who really came to the top of this league in the 1990 playoffs when he waxed Magic Johnson and the Lakers in the early rounds. Kevin Johnson—and the Suns—taking care of business in 1990, four to one over the Lakers ... Kevin Johnson just totally outplaying Magic." Thus, for the only time in a season where Magic played at least 40 games, his Lakers failed to reach the Western Conference Finals, while Johnson's Suns advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive season.

The 1992–93 Suns, led by Johnson and new teammate Charles Barkley, posted an NBA-best 62–20 record. (Unfortunately, Johnson suffered an undiagnosed hernia in that year's preseason when he attempted to lift hefty [arguably obese] teammate Oliver Miller off the floor, accounting for most of his 33 missed games that regular season and most of the 109 regular season games that he missed over the four seasons from 1993 to 1996. However, he only missed one playoff game in his career. By January 1996, Johnson was playing with two undiagnosed hernias. When, in the fall fo 1996, the Suns determined that he was indeed suffering from a hernia and needed to undergo surgery, doctors discovered the original, "hidden" hernia that had secretly been plaguing him for years. After missing the first 11 games of the 1996-97 season due to the surgery, Johnson did not miss another game to injury all year long.) Narrowly escaping first round elimination versus the Los Angeles Lakers, the 1993 Suns managed to make it to the NBA Finals, where they fell to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in a four games to two game series. Johnson averaged 17.8 points and 7.9 assists in the playoffs and established an NBA record for Finals minutes played by logging 62 minutes in Game 3 (a 129–121 triple-OT victory) vs. the Bulls. In 1995, the injury-prone Johnson was again slowed by injuries but returned to form for the post-season, averaging 24.8 points, 9.3 assists, a 57.3 field goal percentage, and a 50.0 three-point field goal percentage in 10 games, including a 46-point, 10-assist effort in a 115–114 Game 7 loss of the Western Conference Semifinals to the eventual champion Houston Rockets. In Game 4 of the previous year's series with eventual champion Houston, in front of a capacity crowd in Phoenix, Johnson completed a remarkable dunk, driving from the baseline, over 7'0" Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon. The shot became an oft-played highlight for the ages and was part of a second consecutive 38-point, 12-assist effort by the point guard.

International competition[link]

In addition to his NBA efforts with the Suns, Johnson also lent his talents to the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, reuniting with old teammate and rival Mark Price to win the gold medal. Johnson led Dream Team II in both total assists and assists average (3.9 per game) while shooting .471 (16–34) from the field, including .500 (16-32) on two-point field goal attempts.^[9]

Retirement and comeback[link]

Johnson retired after the 1997–98 season, but returned briefly during the 1999–2000 campaign to replace the injured Jason Kidd during the playoff run. Johnson helped the Suns win their first playoff series in five years. After Phoenix lost in the second round to the Los Angeles Lakers, he retired for the second and final time.

Accomplishments and legacy[link]

• In Johnson's first seven full seasons in Phoenix from 1989-1995, the Suns won the most regular season games in the NBA (394, an average of 56, never fewer than 53, and the only team to win at least 50 in each of those years) and the second-most playoff games (46, trailing only the Chicago Bulls).
• One of only three players in NBA history (Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson) to have averaged at least 20 points and 12 assists in a season.
• One of only three players in NBA history (Oscar Robertson and Thomas) to have averaged at least 20 points and 10 assists in three consecutive seasons.
• One of only four players in NBA history (Robertson, Thomas, and Magic Johnson) to have averaged at least 20 points and 10 assists per game in three different seasons.
• One of six players in NBA history (Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, and Chris Paul) to have averaged at least 15 points and 10 assists per game over the course of a season while shooting at least .500 from the field.
• Along with Magic Johnson, is one of only two players in NBA history to have twice averaged at least 20 points and 10 assists per game over the course of a season while shooting at least .500 from the field. The only other player to produce 20/10/.500 over the course of a single season is Paul.
• Johnson was the first player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 10 assists, a .500 field goal percentage, and 2 steals in a season (in 1990–91); he has since been joined in that regard by Paul (in 2008–09).
• Johnson is one of only two players in NBA history (Magic Johnson is the other) to average at least 20 points and 12 assists in a season while shooting at least .500 from the field.
• The only team to defeat both Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers and John Stockton's Utah Jazz in the same postseason was Kevin Johnson's Phoenix Suns in 1990.
• Johnson twice led the NBA in total playoff assists (1990 and 1993).
• On March 7, 2001, the Suns inducted Johnson into their Ring of Honor and retired his uniform No. 7 during halftime of a game Phoenix played against the Sacramento Kings, Johnson's hometown team.
• NBA record holder for minutes in a finals game, playing 62 minutes in 1993 vs. the Chicago Bulls.
• Three time NBA All-Star.
• Phoenix Suns' all time leader in free throws made and free throws attempted.
• Mayor Johnson received the Silver Anniversary Award for recognition of his myriad athletic and professional accomplishments from the NCAA in Januaury 2012.^[10]

The Kevin Johnson Corporation[link]

As president and CEO of The Kevin Johnson Corporation, Johnson oversees the operations of several subsidiary organizations specializing in real estate development and management, sports management, and business acquisition. A key component of The Kevin Johnson Corporation includes appearances and public speaking engagements for corporations, academic institutions, and community organizations. Johnson founded the St. Hope Academy in 1989 and served as its CEO until January 2008. St. HOPE is a nonprofit community development corporation whose mission is to revitalize communities through public education, civic leadership, economic development and the arts.

In 2003, St. HOPE formed St. HOPE Public Schools, a pre-K-12 independent charter school system that provides education to nearly 2,000 students in seven small schools.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Election for Mayor's Office of Sacramento[link]

On March 5, 2008, Johnson announced he would run for mayor of Sacramento, his hometown, challenging incumbent Heather Fargo.^[15] Election day was June 3, 2008. Since no candidate received a majority of the vote in the nonpartisan election, there was a runoff.

Johnson garnered the endorsement of the Sacramento Police Officers Association (SPOA),^[16] the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange,^[17][18] the Chamber of Commerce, Realtors' Association and Labor Council, among others.^[19] Johnson was also endorsed by Sacramento City Council members Steve Cohn (Vice Mayor) and Sandy Sheedy, and by former Sacramento Mayor Jimmie Yee.^[11]

On June 4, 2008, Kevin Johnson, who led by 8 percentage points, forced a runoff election for mayor versus the 2-term incumbent. 374 of 378 precincts were reported, and Johnson was ahead of Mayor Heather Fargo 47% to 40%. Five other candidates split the rest of the vote.^[20] The candidates needed more than 50% to win the election.^[21] Third place finisher Leonard Padilla endorsed Mayor Fargo on June 4, 2008.^[22] Johnson, by late May, loaned his campaign $500,000 and raised $490,000, while Fargo raised $340,000 despite having started fundraising in 2005.^[23]

2008 primary election for mayor of Sacramento[link]

Johnson and Fargo had a runoff election in November, won by Johnson.^[25]

2008 runoff election for mayor of Sacramento[link]

Controversy[link]

Sexual assault and harassment allegations[link]

During the summer of 1995, a 16-year-old girl alleged that Johnson had groped her. Johnson apologized to the girl when he was confronted by her with the accusation during a phone conversation recorded by Phoenix police. However he also stated that "what you're saying happened, I'm not entirely agreeing happened."^[27] The Sacramento Bee stated that they had received a copy of a proposed settlement agreement, under which Johnson would have paid the girl's family $230,000.^[28] After conducting an investigation, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to prosecute, on the grounds that there was not a reasonable likelihood of conviction.^[29]

High School investigation[link]

On April 16, 2008, rival mayoral candidate Leonard Padilla distributed a 2007 report of similar allegations made against Johnson at St. HOPE Sacramento High School. The allegations were investigated by local police, but no charges were filed, and the alleged victim recanted her story.^[30][31] On April 29, 2008, a group of female civic leaders including former Sacramento Mayor Ann Rudin, Sacramento Municipal Utility District board member Genevieve Shiroma, and former State Senator Deborah Ortiz demanded the release of the police report on the matter.^[32] The teacher to whom the student initially brought the complaint subsequently resigned over the incident, claiming, "St. HOPE sought to intimidate the student through an illegal interrogation and even had the audacity to ask me to change my story."^[33] Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel responded, saying, "I think the allegations at the school were handled in the way that you would want them handled. Immediately they followed all the normal protocols that they were supposed to follow. I think it was pretty clear there was nothing there... We did ask the young lady whether anyone had influenced her – her answer was no."^[31] The Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness said on May 30, 2008, that Johnson’s actions, though ill-advised, were not illegal.^[34]

St. HOPE Academy's alleged misuse of AmeriCorps funds[link]

On April 9, 2009, Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence G. Brown announced that St. HOPE Academy had agreed to pay $423,836.50 over ten years in settlement of allegations that it did not appropriately spend AmeriCorps grants and education awards and did not adequately document spending of grants.^[35] The settlement amount represented one-half of the $847,673 in AmeriCorps funds received by St. HOPE Academy over three years from 2004 to 2007.^[35] Johnson, St. HOPE Academy’s founder and former CEO, agreed to pay $72,836.50 of St. HOPE Academy’s $73,836.50 initial payment.^[35] In settlement, St. HOPE Academy acknowledged not adequately documenting a portion of its AmeriCorps grant expenditures, and the Corporation for National and Community Service terminated its September 24, 2008 suspension of St. HOPE Academy and Johnson from receiving federal funds, ending questions about Sacramento’s eligibility to receive federal stimulus funds.^[35]

Personal life[link]

Johnson married Michelle Rhee, the former Chancellor of the District of Columbia School System, on September 3, 2011, in front of 40 people at a Tennessee mountain resort.^[2] They had originally planned to get married the year before,^[36] but decided to postpone it in the wake of a large amount of media attention to their nuptials.^[37]

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders
• List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game
• List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game

References[link]

External links[link]

• Sacramento Mayor's Office
• Official Kevin Johnson for Mayor Website
• Interview with Kevin Johnson on PMAKid.com

NBA[link]

• Official NBA stats
• NBA.com Historical Player Info
• Phoenix Suns Legends
• Kevin Johnson at Basketball-Reference.com