I have been an OSU fan since 1968.
When the subject of ex-OSU players that deserve recognition come up - I am quick to mention the players that had great OSU careers but, for one reason or the other, made no impact in the NBA.
Today - I am happy to have discovered an OSU player that is actually in the NBA HOF that may have also slipped by your consciousness as well.
You know of Lucas and Havlichek...now...meet...Neil Johnston.
Neil Johnston:
Birthdate: February 4, 1929
Birthplace: Chillicothe, Ohio
High School: Chillicothe High School (1946)
College: Ohio State University
An all-state selection at Chillicothe High School, Neil Johnston played two seasons at Ohio State (1946-48) before signing a baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. But it was in the NBA where he made his mark. Known for his sweeping hook shot, he played eight seasons (1951-59) for the Philadelphia Warriors, winning the scoring title three straight years (1952-55) and was a six-time all-star. He was a first-teamer in 1956 when the Warriors won the NBA title. Neil Johnston averaged 19.4 points and 11.3 rebounds in 516 pro games. He then coached the Warriors for the first two seasons of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA career. Neil Johnston died on Sept. 28, 1978 at the age of 49. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1990.
With a devastating sweeping hook shot from the pivot, Neil Johnston became one of the early NBA's most prolific scorers. The 6-foot-8-inch former minor league baseball star played eight NBA seasons with the Philadelphia Warriors. During the 1953-54 season, "Gabby" enjoyed five of the league's top six individual game highs, and led the NBA with a 50-point effort against Syracuse. A multidimensional player, Johnston used his athletic talent to lead the NBA in scoring (1953, 1954, 1955), rebounding (1955), and field goal percentage (1953, 1956, 1957). For five consecutive seasons starting in 1953, Johnston averaged better than 20 points per game despite playing during an era of legendary centers. After a career-ending knee injury, Johnston became coach of the Philadelphia Warriors and the Pittsburgh Rens of the American Basketball League as well as the Wilmington Blue Bombers of the Eastern Basketball League.http://www.basketball-reference.com/players//j/johnsne01html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Johnston
