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10 best Tennessee basketball NBA careers ever

By Joey Loose

Feb 5, 2011; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Tobia Harris (12) reaches for a loose ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Crimson Tide beat the Volunteers 65-60. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2011; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward Tobia Harris (12) reaches for a loose ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Crimson Tide beat the Volunteers 65-60. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 4, 2020; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; SEC logo on the court at Thompson-Boling Arena before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and LSU Tigers. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports /

Tennessee basketball best NBA career No. 9: Reggie Johnson

A former high school star from Atlanta, Reggie Johnson arrived in Knoxville way back in 1976, joining a program fresh off their second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. This 6’9 forward would be monumental in Tennessee’s first real era of sustained success. He also averaged nearly a double-double as a sophomore and put up more than 20 points per game across his final three collegiate seasons.

After appearing in three NCAA Tournaments at Tennessee, Johnson would experience NBA postseason success during a brief professional career. He was the 15th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft, by way of the San Antonio Spurs, and would win an NBA title three years later with the Philadelphia 76ers.

In Johnson’s first two NBA seasons, he averaged greater than 10 points a game, splitting time between three different franchises. He was mostly a reserve after his second season, averaging just 5.5 points and 3.1 rebounds en route to that title in 1983. His NBA career was over after 1984.

Johnson was a significant frontcourt weapon at Tennessee and played a solid role during a brief tenure in the NBA. He scored more than 2,500 points and got a championship ring before spending another decade playing professionally overseas. It was just four seasons in the NBA, but he made his mark.

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