Larry Johnson was born March 14, 1969 in Tyler, Texas. As a child, Johnson's sport of choice was not on a basketball court, but in a boxing ring. He grew up in Dallas Texas, and attended my school, skyline HS. Then he went to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas to play under head coach Jerry Tarkanian.  Johnson, was one of the first players to introduce a combination of bulk and speed to the National Basketball Association, and he parlayed a successful college career into a professional one.
Johnson was selected first overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in his first season. In October 1993, Johnson signed what was at the time the most lucrative contract in NBA history, a 12-year, $84 million deal with the Hornets. Then Johnson was dealt to the New York Knicks for Anthony Mason and Brad Lohaus. On October 10, 2001, Johnson announced his early retirement from basketball due to chronic back problems.