Larry Johnson Height, Weight, Wingspan, Position, Draft, DOB, and more

Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Larry Johnson burst into the NBA with a rare blend of power, agility, and charisma, quickly becoming one of the league’s most exciting young stars. A two-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year, he evolved from an explosive scorer into a tough, versatile forward whose clutch performances and fierce competitiveness defined his career.

Here is a detailed profile of Larry Johnson:

Player Profile

Full Name: Larry Demetric Johnson
Nickname: Grandmama
Nationality: American
Age: Born March 14, 1969
Hometown: Tyler, Texas, USA
Height: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
Wingspan: 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Shoe Size: 17 (US)
Jersey Number: 2 (UNLV), 4 (Charlotte Hornets), 2 (New York Knicks)
Position: Power Forward / Small Forward
High School: Skyline High School (Dallas, Texas)
College: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
NBA Draft: 1st overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets
Teams Played For:
1. Charlotte Hornets (1991–1996)
2. New York Knicks (1996–2001)
Championship Rings: 0 (Johnson reached the NBA Finals with the Knicks in 1999, but they lost to the San Antonio Spurs)
Accolades:
- College Accolades:
  - NCAA Champion (1990) – University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
  - Naismith College Player of the Year (1991)
  - John R. Wooden Award (1991)
  - USBWA College Player of the Year (1991)
  - Consensus First-Team All-American (1990, 1991)
  - Big West Player of the Year (1990, 1991)
- NBA Accolades:
  - NBA Rookie of the Year (1992)
  - NBA All-Star (1993, 1995)
  - All-NBA Second Team (1993)
  - NBA All-Rookie First Team (1992)
  - NBA Finals Appearance (1999) – with New York Knicks
  - Other Accolades:
  - FIBA World Championship Gold Medal (1994) – as part of Team USA (known as “Dream Team II”)
  - NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team Nominee (1996)
Kids: Larry Johnson has five children, including a son named Larry Johnson Jr.
Siblings: Larry Johnson grew up in a large family with several siblings, though specific details about his brothers and sisters are not widely publicized.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Larry Johnson’s player archetype was that of an undersized power forward who played like a star-level force, blending bruising interior scoring with enough skill and feel to function as a secondary creator. Defensively, he was built to handle physical frontcourt matchups, using strength, leverage, and quick hands to battle bigger forwards while still moving well enough to hold his own in space. Offensively, Johnson was at his best as a power driver and face-up threat who could score through contact, rebound, push the ball, and later in his career expand into more of an all-around forward with a better perimeter shot and passing game. Physically, he stood out for his thick frame, upper-body power, balance, and explosiveness, giving him the kind of functional athleticism that let him play bigger than his height. His overall play style was rugged but polished: he brought scoring punch, toughness, and versatility, first as an explosive Charlotte centerpiece and later as a smarter, more adaptable veteran who reshaped his game after back issues changed some of his athletic profile. (Basketball Reference)

Scouting Report

Larry Johnson was one of those forwards who forced defenses into uncomfortable choices because he combined the strength of a power player with the instincts of a perimeter creator. Early in a possession he’d happily bury a defender under the rim with a hard post seal, but if that option disappeared, he was just as comfortable catching beyond the arc, putting the ball on the floor, and attacking bigger defenders who couldn’t slide with him. The interesting thing is that his handle wasn’t flashy—it was functional. He used it to get defenders leaning before lowering his shoulder, drawing help, and kicking the ball to the weak side once the lane collapsed rather than trying to force every finish through traffic. As his game evolved, he became even more comfortable spacing the floor and operating as a secondary playmaker, making quick reads from the elbows or after short-roll catches instead of holding the ball until the defense recovered. Defensively, his physicality allowed him to battle stronger forwards and hold position in the post, although asking him to chase quick wings through multiple off-ball actions or cover large amounts of space exposed some limitations. That’s where the ideal environment comes in. Put him alongside a true primary ball handler and a rim-protecting center who can erase mistakes behind the play, and Johnson becomes a matchup problem because he can toggle between bruising interior offense, face-up attacks, and connective passing without carrying every possession himself. It’s easy to overlook how much damage he did before the catch; his willingness to sprint into early post position or establish deep leverage often created the advantage that showed up two seconds later. In a lot of ways, his game foreshadowed Julius Randle’s blend of power and ball-handling, while some of the face-up versatility and willingness to facilitate from the frontcourt resemble a more physically imposing Boris Diaw, even if Johnson attacked with considerably more force.

Fun Facts

He was the face of the Charlotte Hornets in the 90s. That legacy got lost to some degree due to the history of the Hornets. The team changed into the Charlotte Bobcats not long after he retired from the NBA.
He starred in Michael Jordan’s movie Space Jam and wasn’t impressed when Lebron James didn’t invite him to be in the remake.
He was involved in one of the most famous fights to take place on a basketball court between him and Alonzo Mourning that resulted in coach Jeff Van Gundy being dragged along the court. Johnson and Mourning started as teammates on the Charlotte Hornets.