Remember the ABA: Stew Johnson

Stew Johnson

Ht. 6-8
Wt. 220
College - Murray State
ABA Teams: Kentucky Colonels (1967-68), New Jersey Americans (1967-68), New York Nets (1968-69), Houston Mavericks (1968-69), Pittsburgh Pipers (1969-70), Pittsburgh Condors (1971-72), Carolina Cougars (1971-72), San Diego Conquistadors (1972-73 to 1974-75), Memphis Sounds (1974-75), Baltimore Claws (1975-76), San Diego Sails (1975-76), San Antonio Spurs (1975-76)

One of the ABA's all-time pure scorers; Deadly jumper from the baseline; Also one of the ABA's most well-traveled players - he played for an incredible 12 different ABA teams (and 7 different franchises) over the course of all of the league's nine seasons; Snapped a long playoff drought when he finally participated in the ABA post-season with the 1972-73 San Diego Conquistadors; 3 Time ABA All-Star (1973 and 1974, with the Conquistadors, and 1975 with the Memphis Sounds); 9th on the all-time ABA scoring list with 10,538 points; 2nd on the all-time ABA field goals attempted list with 10,854 shots; Set the ABA single-game scoring record when he erupted for 62 points against The Floridians on March 6, 1971 (his record lasted almost a year until Zelmo Beaty scored 63 points against the Pittsburgh Condors on February 21, 1972); One of the more fondly-remembered players of the ABA

From Jim O'Brien's 1971-72 and 1972-73 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball:
One of the all-time flakes in ABA, but also one of the league's most personable players . . . One of best-shooting cornermen in the league . . . Wears Wilt's No. 13, and has same proud carriage . . . Fair defensive player, needs work on rebounding . . . Set ABA scoring record with 62 points against The Floridians in March 1971 (one night after scoring only 3 points against the Virginia Squires). . . "We tried four or five guys on him," said coach Bob Bass of Floridians. "He just couldn't be stopped." . . . Home-town boy with Pipers/Condors - born in Clairton, a small community just outside Pittsburgh . . . Pipers/Condors could never cut him because all his relatives and friends would come to games from Clairton . . . Stew figures to keep his record intact of never having been in the playoffs, despite having already played with six different ABA teams . . . After Jim McDaniels quit the Carolina Cougars during the 1971-72 season, Stew was pressed into service at center and performed admirably . . . Visited American troops in Pacific area hospitals with group of ABA players during summer of 1971 . . . "Stew's shooting techniques and release are near-perfect," says Condors coach Jack McMahon. "I think he works at it." . . . "He reminds me of Jack Twyman when I was coaching in Cincinnati," continues McMahon, "He was always ready to shoot the ball. Some people thought he had arthritis because his hands were always curled in front of his chest." . . . Says Stew: "I think they respect my shooting around the league, I'm best from 15 to 20 feet out on the baseline."