Washington Wizards: 30 greatest players in franchise history

Gus Johnson was listed as a 6-foot-6 power forward, but he played significantly bigger than that during his time with the Bullets. He pioneered the power forward position with his talented rebounding skills and ferocious dunks at the rim. By the end of his career, his No. 25 jersey was retired by the Washington franchise in 1986.

Johnson arrived as the 10th overall pick in the 1963 NBA Draft and had quite the accomplishments with the team. He was a five-time All-Star, two-time All-Defensive selection and four-time All-NBA selection in his nine seasons with the Bullets. He put up 17.5 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game through 560 contests with the organization.

He set the tone during his rookie season in the league, earning All-Rookie honors for his contributions. By his second season, he earned his first All-Star nod, showing glimpses of a long and productive career on the interior.

He racked up 34 total rebounds back during the 1965-66 season, back when offensive and defensive rebounds weren’t always accounted for. Regardless, Johnson showed he was a rebounding machine. Johnson’s career-high 44 points came on Feb. 11, 1968, against the now-defunct San Diego Rockets.

Johnson currently sits at third all-time in total rebounds (7,243), tied for fourth all-time with Phil Chenier in field goals made (4,057) and sixth in total points (9,781). He was inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 in memoriam. He passed away on April 29, 1987, after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.