From the Archive

Vinnie Johnson

From the Archive Editor · Bad Boys

The Microwave. Came off the bench in a phone booth and walked back to it on fire.

Acquired from Seattle in 1981. Eleven seasons in Detroit off the bench, two championships, the kind of instant offense that ended games before opponents knew the game had ended.

Hit the title-clincher in Portland with 0.7 seconds left in Game 5 of the 1990 Finals. The play was called for someone else. The shot went in anyway. The Vault keeps the tape on a separate shelf.

Never made an All-Star team. Didn't need one. His role was sixth man, and within that role he was a Hall of Fame ceiling on a career that asked him not to be a Hall of Famer.

Career Lines

Pistons tenure
1981-91 · 11 seasons
Career PPG
12.0
Championships
2 (1989, 1990)

Accolades

  • · Jersey No. 15 retired by the Pistons
  • · 1990 Finals Game 5 title-clinching shot (0.7s left)
  • · One of the great sixth men in NBA history

Live stats unavailable from the wire — the Editor's file is archive-authoritative.