PHOENIX – Kevin Johnson's No. 7 was added to the Ring of Honor on Wednesday night at America West Arena, where he served for
a decade as the Phoenix Suns' magnificent court leader.
|  | | The Suns welcomed Kevin Johnson to their Ring of Honor Wednesday night. |
The number was retired Wednesday night in a halftime ceremony at
the Suns-Sacramento game.
"As I stand here today, I think back of all those times I put
on that Phoenix Suns uniform, how proud I was to put on that
uniform," Johnson told the crowd. "Every time I pulled that No. 7
over my shoulder, it was an honor and I promise I always gave my
best. I hope somewhere along the way, I gave you a little joy."
Johnson, sixth all-time in assists at 9.1 per game, is the
seventh Phoenix player to be so honored, joining Connie Hawkins,
Walter Davis, Alvan Adams, Dick Van Arsdale, Paul Westphal and Tom
Chambers. All but Westphal were on hand for the ceremony.
The Suns will build a basketball court for a nonprofit
organization in Johnson's name and establish a $5,000 college
scholarship on his behalf. The team also has commissioned a bronze
statue to commemorate his memorable dunk over Hakeem Olajuwon.
Johnson also was presented with a Rolex watch. In a reference to
Johnson's possible political aspirations, Colangelo said he'd
arranged for him to spend a day with U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, a
Republican, and former Sen. Bill Bradley, a Democrat.
Johnson, an NBA analyst for NBC, played all but his first
half-season with the Suns. He left pro basketball following the
1998 season, then returned late last season to play for Phoenix
when Jason Kidd went out with a broken ankle.
Johnson averaged 17.9 points in his career and was named to the
all-NBA second team four times. He appeared in 105 playoff games,
averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists.
In 1992-93, Johnson teamed with Charles Barkley to lead the Suns
to the NBA Finals, where they were beaten by Chicago in six games
on John Paxson's dramatic 3-pointer.
"Probably the most vivid memory I have, unfortunately, is the
one where John Paxson hit that `3' in Game 6," Johnson said at a
news conference before the ceremony. "I hate to have to pull that
one out, but that's the one that still keeps me up at night."
Johnson said his most enjoyable years were the early ones, after
he was traded to the Suns by Cleveland midway through his rookie
season of 1987-88. The team that included Chambers and Dan Majerle
played in the old Veterans Memorial Coliseum, "the Madhouse on
McDowell."
Johnson and Barkley reportedly did not get along well. The two
have vastly different personalities, but Johnson said too much has
been made of that.
"He called me last night and, despite what everybody wants to
think, we have a good relationship," Johnson said. "His quote was
`Kevin, you were the organization before I got there, you were the
organization once I did arrive and there's nobody more deserving.'
He just wished the best for me. It was great to hear from him."
Of course, Barkley being Barkley, there was more to the
conversation.
"Charles last night said `Kevin, I know I owe you a church
appearance and you still owe me a night in a strip club,"' Johnson
said. "Obviously he had too many drinks that night because I did
put in my probably 15 minutes in that particular place." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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 Kevin Johnson is honored to be going into the Phoenix Suns' Ring of Honor.
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