Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Philip Donald Johnson is an American former basketball player and coach, renowned for his extensive contributions to both collegiate and professional basketball.
Player Profile
Personal Information:
- Full Name: Philip Donald Johnson
- Nationality: American
- Date of Birth: September 6, 1941
- Hometown: Grace, Idaho, USA
- Height: 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 meters)
- Weight: 190 pounds (86 kilograms)
- Wingspan: 6 feet 6 inches
- Position: Power Forward / Center
- Jersey Number: Not specified
Education:
- High School: Grace High School, Grace, Idaho
- College:
- Weber State University (1960–1961)
- Utah State University (1961–1963)
Playing Career:
- College Highlights:
- Averaged 12.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during his senior year at Utah State University.
- Helped lead the Aggies to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 1962 and 1963.
Coaching Career:
- Weber State University:
- Assistant Coach (1964–1968)
- Head Coach (1968–1971)
- Led the team to three consecutive Big Sky Conference titles.
- Named Big Sky Coach of the Year three times.
- NBA Coaching Career:
- Assistant Coach for the Chicago Bulls (1971–1973)
- Head Coach for the Kansas City-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1973–1978)
- Named NBA Coach of the Year in 1975.
- Assistant Coach for the Chicago Bulls (1979–1982)
- Assistant Coach for the Utah Jazz (1982–2011)
Achievements:
- NBA Coach of the Year (1975)
- Inducted into the Weber State University Sports Hall of Fame (1992)
- Inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame (2011)
- Recipient of the inaugural Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award (2016)
- Inducted into the Utah State University Athletic Hall of Fame (2016)
Personal Life:
- Family: Married to Ann Johnson; they have two children, Mitchel and Nathan, and two grandchildren, McKenna and Alexander.
Player Archetype / Play Style
Phil Johnson projected as a sturdy backcourt connector rather than a high-volume star, fitting the archetype of a fundamentally sound guard who could score when needed while keeping the offense organized. Defensively, his role appears to have been more positional than disruptive, using effort and awareness to hold his ground on the perimeter instead of gambling for plays. Offensively, he functioned as a secondary scorer and steadying ball-handler, helping move possessions along rather than dominating them. Physically, Johnson was listed at 6’5″ and 180 pounds, which gave him good size for a guard in his era and enough length to play with balance on both ends. His overall style reads as practical and team-oriented: composed, disciplined, and built around clean execution, complementary scoring, and dependable all-around guard play. (Wikipedia)
Sources: Phil Johnson player and coaching biography — Wikipedia; Phil Johnson Hall of Fame profile — Utah State Aggies; Phil Johnson college coaching and playing record — Sports Reference