By Mike Slane

After completing a legendary playing career where he was selected to nine consecutive NBA All-Defensive Teams, five-time NBA All-Star Dennis Johnson took his experience and knowledge of the game to the coaching ranks. Johnson, who won three NBA titles as a player, will be entering his second season as head coach of the Austin Toros in 2006-07. He first became interested in pursuing a coaching career during his stint with the Boston Celtics from 1983 to his retirement in 1990.

Dennis Johnson is entering his second season with the Austin Toros. Chris Covatta/NBAE/Getty

"When I was traded to Boston I just took a gradual interest in coaching and asked a lot of questions through K.C. Jones, my coach at the time," Johnson said. "And I was always trying to huddle around Red (Auerbach) to get the war stories. He said 'if you (coach), you'll do pretty decent, pretty good.' Then they gave me a shot."

Johnson's opportunity came one year after ending his playing career when he joined the Boston Celtics coaching staff as an assistant in 1991. He climbed up the ranks over the years, serving as either a coach or scout for the Los Angeles Clippers, CBA's LaCrosse Bobcats and the Portland Trail Blazers along with the Celtics. He made his debut in the D-League in 2004, where he served one season as head coach of the Florida Flame before moving on to Austin.

"I went from scouting to third assistant to second to first, and I think that's the way you're supposed to do it. You just learn at each stage that you're at. I had to breakdown film and go on the road and do scouting at the time. I just made sure I did my work."

As a 13-year NBA veteran with the Seattle Sonics, Phoenix Sun and Boston Celtics, Johnson is one of several D-League coaches with NBA playing experience. Coaches such as Fort Worth's Sidney Moncrief, Colorado's Joe Wolf, Albuquerque's Michael Cooper, and Anaheim's Larry Smith use their NBA experiences to guide players in the right direction by answering any questions they might have about the next level.

"We have coaches in the league with an array of experience, whether it's by playing or coaching, and I think that's what (players) really feed off of," the three-time NBA champion said.

With former NBA players and coaches working in the D-League, the league is getting more recognition and exposure each year. The D-League is also expanding and Johnson believes that the 12 team league could become a 15-18 team league in the near future.

"With the addition of Michael Curry we are becoming a more visible league," Johnson believes. "It just seems like more and more people know more about us.

"The big thing is (the D-League) is heading in a forward progress and that's what you want out of the league."

Johnson and the Toros are looking forward to the upcoming season and are currently continuing their preparations for the November 2nd Draft.

Each D-League team will pick from a pool of 120-130 players and hopefully have four players from last years roster return. However, if a team does not retain all four players, they can substitute an open tryout player. The Toros selected four players to possibly invite to training camp during last weekend's open tryout.

"There are a number of players on the list who we'd love to have, but there are also a lot of players who aren't on the list just yet because they haven't been released from NBA training camps."

While continuing to develop players this season, Johnson still aims to win games and expects to bring a hard working and talented team to the court. He will continue his three hour practices to make sure the Toros accomplish as much as possible during the year.

When D-League training camps open on November 12, Johnson will have an opportunity to share his experience with a new group of young players, with some hopefully following in his footsteps towards their own NBA careers.