Possessing a wealth of experience as both an NBA player and coach, Dennis “DJ” Johnson is the first head coach in Florida Flame history. Johnson, a five-time NBA All-Star, was named head coach for the inaugural season of the Flame on August 24, 2004.

Johnson joins the Flame staff after an extensive NBA career. During his playing days with the Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics, Johnson claimed three NBA championships as well as other various awards and honors. In addition to his All-Star selections, Johnson was named to nine consecutive NBA All-Defensive Teams.

Johnson also gained valuable experience coaching at the NBA level. He was an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics (1991-94) and Los Angeles Clippers (1999-2003), and served as interim head coach for the Clippers during the 2002-03 season. In addition to his playing and coaching experience, Johnson was also an advance scout for the Portland Trail Blazers.

His successful basketball career was a distant dream from his childhood years growing up in Compton, Calif. His high school playing days as a 5-9 guard at Dominguez High School consisted of one-to-two minutes of action throughout his entire senior season. Everything changed when the coach at Harbor Junior College saw Johnson playing ball on the California streets. He was intrigued by his tough defense and convinced him to enroll in school. After two years of growing both physically and mentally, Johnson emerged as a star, averaging 18.3 points per game and 12.0 rebounds per game while helping Harbor Junior College to a state championship.

Johnson received only two scholarship offers to play college basketball, and signed a letter of intent to play for Pepperdine University. He played only one season for the Waves, averaging 15.7 points per game and helped bring Pepperdine into the Top 20 and a berth in the 1976 NCAA Tournament. He filed for hardship following his junior year at Pepperdine and was given permission to enter the 1976 NBA Draft, where he was a 2nd round selection of the Seattle SuperSonics.

After barely making the team his first year with Seattle, Johnson broke through in his second season when Lenny Wilkens stepped in to take over the struggling 5-17 SuperSonics. After trading Don Watts, Wilkens moved Johnson into the starting rotation, helping Seattle to a 12-game home winning streak. The SuperSonics went on to finish the season 47-35, eventually losing to the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals.

Seattle returned the favor the next year, with Johnson helping guide the Sonics to an NBA Championship, defeating Washington four-games-to-one. Johnson was named the 1979 NBA Finals MVP after scoring 32 points in a game-four overtime victory. He averaged 15.9 points per game in 1978-79 and was selected to both his first NBA All-Star and All-Defensive Teams.

Johnson was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1980 where he was selected to the All-NBA First Team, joining Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and George Gervin. Averaging 18.8 points per game, he helped guide the Suns to a Pacific Division title.

During the 1982-83 season, Johnson was traded to the Boston Celtics where he made an immediate impact. Johnson, along with stars like Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, led the Celtics to NBA titles in 1984 and 1986.

Johnson retired following the 1989-90 season as the 11th player in NBA history to amass more than 15,000 points and 5,000 assists.

Born September 18, 1954 as the eighth child of 16, Johnson and his wife Donna are the parents of three children; Dwayne (24), Denise (12), and Daniel (10).