MALIBU, California – Dennis Johnson, who starred for the Pepperdine men's basketball team for one season in 1975-76 before embarking on a highly successful professional career, will be inducted into the Southern California Basketball Hall of Fame, the organization has announced.
 
The inaugural class of 2020 and this year's class of 2021 will be inducted together in the summer of 2022. Former Pepperdine head coach Jim Harrick was a member of the class of 2020.
 
Johnson, a native of Los Angeles who played at Dominguez High School and Harbor College before joining the Waves, helped lead Pepperdine to the West Coast Conference championship and to the regional semifinals in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 15.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his junior season. He was then picked by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of the 1976 NBA Draft.
 
Regarded as one of the NBA's all-time best defensive players, Johnson starred for 14 seasons with the SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics. He was part of three NBA championship teams, capturing the Most Valuable Player award for the 1979 NBA Finals with the SuperSonics, then winning two more with the Celtics.
 
"DJ" made five All-Star teams, one All-NBA first team and one All-NBA second team. He was elected to nine consecutive All-Defensive first or second teams between 1979-87. At his retirement, he was only the 11th NBA player to amass more than 15,000 points and 5,000 assists.
 
Sadly, Johnson passed away in 2007 before he could enjoy his greatest achievement, as he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
 
"If you follow Southern California basketball, you know what a legend Dennis Johnson became through his great play at Pepperdine and his NBA All-Star status in Boston," said SCBBHOF vice president Mike Gallups. "It is so sad he passed away so young and won't be with us to receive the honor in person."