Dennis Johnson was the ideal NBA D-League head coach. Dave Eggen/NBAE/Getty Images

The NBA and NBA Development League lost a legend this week.

Dennis Johnson, a three-time NBA champion as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics and Boston Celtics and the head coach of the Austin Toros, passed away Thursday from a heart attack. He was 52 years old.

Not only was Johnson a great player during his 13-year career with Seattle, Phoenix and Boston, he was a great teacher and role model to young players as well, making him an ideal D-League head coach. Johnson coached the Florida Flame for one season before joining the Toros prior to the 2005-06 season. He spent his time in the D-League focusing on developing players while bringing a strong, hardworking team to the court each night.

I had the honor and pleasure of speaking with D.J. last October as he prepared for the 2006-07 season. When I received a phone call one morning and heard a deep voice on the other end say "Hi Mike, this is Dennis Johnson," I couldn't believe it. It's not too often a basketball legend unexpectedly calls my office phone hours before a scheduled interview. Usually I'd be the one making the call with questions prepared in front of me, but this time I had to wing it. And I'm happy I did.

During my 20 minute conversation with D.J., I learned about what kind of coach and person he really was. We spoke briefly about his playing career before spending the majority of the interview discussing his transition from a player to coach and the guidance he received from legendary Boston Celtics coaches K.C. Jones and Red Auerbach.

Whether he was sitting on the bench during his senior year at Dominguez High School (Calif.) or huddling around Auerbach and Jones for coaching stories and tips as his playing days approached an end, Johnson said he wanted "a shot" or opportunity to show what he can do. He was lucky enough to receive those opportunities during his tremendous basketball career as a player and coach and took advantage of them every day.

D.J. said that Auerbach believed he could be a very good coach and gave him a chance to pursue his aspirations by hiring him as an assistant in 1991. Auerbach noticed something special and Johnson went on to spend the final 16 years of his life serving as either a coach or scout in the NBA, CBA and D-League.

"I went from scouting to third assistant to second to first, and I think that's the way you're supposed to do it," Johnson said. "You just learn at each stage that you're at."

Opportunities are what the D-League is all about and Johnson proved that dreams can come true, but not without hard work. As a player Johnson showed his extraordinary work ethic by becoming one of the NBA's best defensive players of all-time. He earned six All-Defensive First Team honors and was a three-time All-Defensive Second Team selection.

Johnson's journey to basketball stardom was, in a way, not much different than a young player trying to make the jump from the D-League to the NBA. The D-League was created to develop players and prepare them for the next level while providing some guidance from coaches such as Johnson. D-League players often look up to coaches with NBA experience and feed off their stories as Johnson did with Auerbach's and Jones' during the late 1980's.

Johnson emphasized how he liked to hold three hour practices and added that his team was going to be the most prepared this season. After a slow start to the year, those extra practice hours started to pay off in the second half of the season as the Toros are currently the hottest team in the league, having won nine of their last 10 games.

Johnson and the D-League were a perfect match. Because Johnson had already seen everything, done everything and been everywhere in the basketball world, he felt comfortable in the D-League, but, at the same time, was hoping for a head coaching position in the NBA. Unfortunately an untimely death put an end to D.J.'s final dream.