You know who is unappreciated? Clay Johnson(nm)

Posted on: February 23, 2017 at 14:08:50 CT

A sky walker at 6'4 from Penn Valley Community College in KC (where he assisted on illustrious poster mizzoumurfkc's first collegiate basket), Clay was called upon to replace the production of the great Willie Smith. He responded by avging 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds, as well as turning in one of the great performances in Mizzou history when the Tigers visited Colorado, scoring 39 points on 14-of-17 field goal shooting while making all eleven of his free throws. MU would win the conference tournament, 21 games, and finish second in conference (unfortunately in an era when second place meant no tourney). Then as a senior Clay would up his scoring to over 17 a game, but the Tigers would limp to a 4-10 Big 8 season that would see them as the 6th seed in the tournament. In just the second year of automatic births from postseason tournaments, MU would stun the opposition to again win the conference tournament. At 14-15, they were pitted against 15th ranked Utah in the opening round. Clay would score 30 points, but MU would fall in double overtime. Per Norm, he was the greatest leaper in MU program history. Clay was drafted by Portland in the NBA, and would play 3 seasons. He won an NBA championship with the Lakers, one of only Tigers to ever to win a NBA ring. He currently runs the Clay Johnson Foundation for underprivileged youths.


Edited by Doc James at 14:16:21 on 02/23/17