Death
Shortly before his death from inoperable brain cancer, his number 25 was retired by the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards) on his 48th birthday. A month later he was also honored by the two college programs he played for, Boise State and Idaho, during a conference basketball game between the two teams on January 17, 1987. A crowd of 12,225 at the BSU Pavilion in Boise set a Big Sky attendance record for a regular season game, and the visiting Vandals overcame an eight point deficit in the second half to win by ten. That month in a ceremony in Akron, his #43 was retired by Idaho, the first basketball number retired in school history. Johnson died less than four months later at Akron City Hospital on April 29, 1987, at the age of 48.
Earl Monroe on Gus Johnson - "Gus was ahead of his time, flying through the air for slam dunks, breaking backboards and throwing full-court passes behind his back. He was spectacular, but he also did the nitty gritty jobs, defense and rebounding. With all the guys in the Hall of Game, Gus deserves to be there already."
"I first saw Gus on television...I had never seen a player dominate a game so. Gus was the Dr. J of his time and anyone that ever had the privilege to see him play will never forget what a great basketball player Gus Johson was." - Abe Pollin - Former Owner of the Washington Bullets/Wizards Franchise
Read more about this topic: Gus Johnson (basketball)
Famous quotes containing the word death:
“Go; and if that word have not quite killed thee,
Ease me with death by bidding me got too.
Oh, if it have, let my word work on me,
And a just office on a murderer do.
Except it be too late to kill me so,
Being double dead: going, and bidding go.”
—John Donne (1572–1631)