Avery Johnson: An All-Star coach, but never an All-Star player
HOUSTON — Avery Johnson sees it in the faces of nearly everyone he meets.
It's a look of amazement that says: "Is this guy really in charge?"
"It's something that will probably be with me for the rest of my life because people have certain ideas of what people should look like and what people should be," said Johnson, who has guided the Dallas Mavericks to a Western Conference-best 41-11 record and will coach the West in Sunday's 55th All-Star game.
"I'm used to it by now. I don't think it's anything mean-spirited or intentional. And it's something that you can overcome by your actions, you know. Your deeds, what you say and how you carry yourself, can change all of that.
"And in this league, it's about winning. You win enough games, then whatever perceptions people may have about you will change."
Johnson, 40, is an unlikely All-Star. He was never good enough as a player to compete in this game during a 16-year career in which the 5-foot-11 point guard was traded four times and waived twice.
Because he wasn't a star at Southern (La.) University, Johnson went undrafted in 1988. His first professional experience was with the Palm Beach Sting Rays of the USBL, and he started his NBA career in Seattle, crediting former Sonics coach Bernie Bickerstaff for giving him an opportunity.
"Little guards like that, they tend to bounce around," said Sonics coach Bob Hill, who coached Johnson in San Antonio. "It took Avery a little while to get his bearings. Once he got to San Antonio, it was like he found his calling, which was to lead.
"He was the leader of those teams. It wasn't David [Robinson]. It was Avery. David would say something and the other guys would turn and look at Avery. And if he said it was OK, then everything was OK."
Johnson helped the Spurs to an NBA title in 1999 and began planting his coaching seeds when he fostered a relationship with San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich.
"He was one of the first coaches that came in and started talking about winning a championship and winning it with defense and don't even make apologies about it," Johnson said. "Don't blink. Don't even blink when you talk about it. That's the goal. Don't be ashamed about it, otherwise you're just selling tickets."
The coaching bug bit Johnson hard as his playing days came to an end. He was included in a deal that shipped him from Denver to Dallas, along with Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz, on Feb. 21, 2002, but did not make the Mavericks' playoff roster in 2002 or 2003.
"That was upsetting at the time, but in the end it turned out to be a great blessing for him," Dallas assistant coach Del Harris said. "We included him in our coaches' meetings throughout the playoffs and he got to see how the coaching thing actually works, behind-the-scenes stuff and things he had no access to prior to that.
"When it came up that he was going to be available and we had a spot for an assistant coach, Nellie [coach Don Nelson] thought it would be an ideal thing."
Long before Nelson retired on March, 19, 2005, Johnson was considered his successor. Nelson's son Donnie was the first candidate and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban had plans for Sidney Moncrief, but they never panned out.
"When I went there to Dallas seven years ago, Cuban had just taken over the team," Harris said. "He hired me as an assistant coach and told me that they were going to give me a good contract, but that the next head coach was going to be a young fellow. After a while, we all just knew it was going to be Avery."
Johnson finished the 2004-05 season with a 16-2 record and guided Dallas to the Western Conference semifinals. He stressed defense and held players accountable. He benched star Dirk Nowitzki for a defensive gaffe early on, which "told everyone that he wasn't going to play favorites," Nowitzki said.
"We play 12 guys, so no one is more important than anyone else," guard Devin Harris said. "Coach makes you believe that. He was one of those role players, so he knows how important they are."
Johnson is the fastest coach to win 50 games and has been named Coach of the Month in three of the four months he's been eligible for the award.
"At first you have to get over the wow factor," Dallas guard Jason Terry said. "Wow, Avery is the coach. It's normal. I felt that way. But then, just being around him, there's no doubt that he commands and demands respect.
"Look at this nickname, 'The [Little] General,' that says it all. He did it as a player, he's definitely doing it as a coach. Some guys were just born to lead, and he's one of them."
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com