Gill was an all-around player, good defender. With Dell from 3 and Muggsy’s steals and AST/TO (insane 5.0 for 5 yrs ‘90-‘94) they had good all-around perimeter play to go with LJ/Zo in the frontcourt. Definitely fun to watch in the mid-‘90s.
@andresdelportillo9917 I'd suggest you look again. His second year was his best... BEFORE the injury... that year he couldn't jump anymore... notice rebounds was significantly less...
LJ had some good years on the Knicks too, post injury. He lost the explosiveness, but, he was still skilled and a smart player. Seemed like well-liked guy and good teammate too. He was guarding Tim Duncan in the finals that year, I remember.
After his back injury, he was able to change his game to more of a below the rim game and three point shooter, and it helped add years to his playing career. As a Knicks’ fan, thank you LJ.
As a Knicks fan we got LJ after his prime but he was still a legendary Knick and is still beloved. Made the transition to a veteran leader and respected presence who still had plenty of game.
Larry Johnson was one of the most recognizable and popular players in the NBA before even stepping on the court. That Hornets team, with Alonzo Mourning and Mugsy Bogues and Larry Johnson was really good. Johnson would be traded to the New York Knicks prior to the 1997 season where he would team with guys like Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston and John Starks and later Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby, as he was a crucial piece to the success of the late 90s Knicks. He was one of the key players of the Knicks and Heat rivalry of that era as he would constantly feud with his former teammate, Mourning. It was very unfortunate that he retired from the NBA in 2001 at the young age of 31.
As a Pels fan…I completely agree! Larry was athletic but was super skilled as well. He had a complete, polished game. His touch to score the ball was elite. Zion could certainly learn from watching his game.
Larry Johnson's back injury didn't surprise me because he would grab an offensive rebound and bring the ball down very low. Then he would burst up and do a thunderous dunk. Of course he used his knees but you still got to bend your back to do that. He also used his back alot to post up to create separation. He even kept his dribble low. Lots of stress on the back. If he would of remained healthy he probably would of had seasons of 28ppg and 12 rebounds.
His back injury drained him of his explosiveness… even after the injury he was still a borderline all-star … he had game for sure, it was just the injury
Thanks for sparking memories. Runnin Rebels was the perfect name for that team. Augmon, Anthony, Tark, Grandma Ma. Athletes had fun original commercials back then
Larry Johnson has always been my favourite player of all time for one reason. I fell in love with the game because of him. Watching his rookie season i just couldn't get enough of it. He sparked a 30+ year obsession with the game and many more years to follow so im always thankful i found basketball because of LJ
I'm Australian and was born in 1985. My favorite player was Larry Johnson and my favorite team was the Hornets with LJ, Bogues and Morning. Even had a Larry Johnson Grandmama basketball growing up. Wish I could find a pair of his signature Cons Aero Jam shoes. Would be great to go with my Ewing Athletics
with his combination of power speed and athleticism he was unstoppable in the paint. if not for the injuries he was sure fire HOF. that 90s NBA was so huge and so physical. it would break your body down. sooner or later
Him and Silk from, from Rhode Island or Temple, had the freshest parts in their hair. Those were the freshest Hip-Hop hair cut years, had to live during that time to get it.
When I rock my hair style like yours u are somebody to me! Because I don't follow to much of anything! Big shout out to Grand Ma Ma. And he gave converse a big boost in sales with his sneaker.
For the young bucks who don't know and haven't seen any videos, LJ was THAT dude at UNLV during that 89/90-90/91 run. He was an absolute star in college and was THE man. They had him and teammate and fellow star Stacey Augmon in suits on the cover of the Sports Illustrated College Preview issue like it was GQ or some sht. Straight up ill. There wasn't a cooler team than UNLV and only the Michigan Fab Five that came the season right after in 91/92 can compare to how much they resonated with the streets. I used to listen to their games on the radio when i was 12-14 ! That's how real sht was. LJ was definitely on that Charles Barkley sht, both in regards to style of play and in lying about his height. He was listed at 6-7 but was allegedly measured at only a bit taller than 6-3 at a pre-draft camp in 91. I always thought he looked closer to like 6-5, but either way you know a dude is real when he gets drafted #1 overall as a power forward being that undersized.
L.J. was one of my favorite players since he was at UNLV!! It was once he got into the NBA, I realized this guy was really, really good I remember him having that injury it killed his explosion!! A guy with that much muscle mass having one of his gifts taking away really slowed him down.
LJ was my favorite player in the early 90's. If we're being honest, he was really only about 6' 4". But he was so strong and so explosive he could battle on the block and get off shots against bigger guys. He was an anomaly at his position and a lot of fun to watch.
I still have his rookie card. Loved watching LJ play. He was a beast on that block. Really sucked when he got hurt he wasn’t the same :( he was a player I tried to mimic when I used to play. One of the best in his prime!
I've been saying the same about getting these type of guys on the shows like All The Smoke and Gil's Arena.... Loved LJ! Saw him play when he was in high school and he reffed our Hoop It Up games in Dallas.
One of my favorite players of all time. Dude was a killer on a stud UNLV teal in college and a beast coming into NBA. I remember trying to pull LJ Motombo rookie cards all year. Good ole days
I definitely remember Larry Johnson. I'm from Dallas. Our High Schools always played one another. I can remember saying, "Who is that!! Every time he got the ball he would slam so hard. He was a sight to see even in high school.
I was an UNLV hater!! But, Larry Johnson was a men-among-boys during his NCAA career. Dude had swagger, athleticism, basketball IQ and the physique to be a Top 3 PF in the earlier 90's. Great Video!!
This was a really nice treat Sean. I like your idea a lot too. I would like to hear more about other ball players. Like Jamal Mashburn. Vinnie Johnson. Mark Aguire. Spreewell. Kevin Johnson. Thank you.
Second that. Especially Aguirre and KJ. I was looking at stats a while back and noticed that Jamaal Wilkes and Kevin Johnson's are almost identical but if you put a gun to my head I think KJ's were just a tad bit better. So how does it make sense that Wilkes is in the HOF but Johnson is not? Voters puttin' too much emphasis on championships when the HOF is supposed to be an INDIVIDUAL honor. Sean should do a video about guys that deserve to be in the Hall.
That 4 point play was so epic. Easily in the top 5 moments as an old school knick fan .. maybe even top 1. The way the garden erupted was just incredible
I was a Duke fan when he played them with UNLV & Laettner I think won that game, with Hurly & G. Hill, that started that Dynasty Run! I was a Hornets early days fan too & then he gets drafted by them! Some of my Best memories & was just turning a Teen! I had his & Alonzos Jerseys as Hornets. Think i still do but in storage 🤔
L.J. was one of my favorite players when I was a kid. Him, Penny , Chris Webber, and Nick Van Exel was some DAWGS!! lol I used to have his shoes with converse and the part in the middle of my head ..lol Grandma-ma was a DAWG too!
I always said LJ and derrick Coleman as number one picks and power forwards should have been the new Barkley and malone going forward in the 90's..but injury and bad teams held them both back.
I absolutely love the work you do. These memories give me goosebumps. I watched the spot in the video 3 times. First time I relived it, I cheered like it was that night all over again. I had to retuck the kids back into bed after I woke them cheering. Third viewing was with the kids because, well, they were already up. Might aswell let them watch granmama
Larry Johnson is extremely underrated coming from his generation
he got too heavy & his body broke down, like Zion if he's not careful
Back those days, Hornets with Alonzo, Larry, Kendall Gill, and Mussy was really fun to watch.
And Dell Curry as well.
People don't realize how Kendall Gill was probably the closest to MJ before Kobe. Shooting form. Turn around fade aways. Very classic team.
Gill was an all-around player, good defender. With Dell from 3 and Muggsy’s steals and AST/TO (insane 5.0 for 5 yrs ‘90-‘94) they had good all-around perimeter play to go with LJ/Zo in the frontcourt. Definitely fun to watch in the mid-‘90s.
Mase was great in NY and even better with the Hornets.
Don't Forget dell curry, Hershey Hawkins, david Wingate, bobby phils, david Wesley, or jr smith...lol
Tons of hype coming in with Larry back in the day as a rookie. And he was awesome. Injuries just killed his game
Injuries... the #1 legend killer 😮💨
Fucked his back up. After his second year... he was going to be a hall of famer...
Shoulda worked out better😮😮
He had his best season after the injury in 96
@andresdelportillo9917 I'd suggest you look again. His second year was his best... BEFORE the injury... that year he couldn't jump anymore... notice rebounds was significantly less...
Fav player of all time. Just loved his game. His college run was amazing. Change game after injury and was still super effective. Grown man game.
LJ had some good years on the Knicks too, post injury. He lost the explosiveness, but, he was still skilled and a smart player. Seemed like well-liked guy and good teammate too. He was guarding Tim Duncan in the finals that year, I remember.
still got his jersey from 1996 - real mean mashine - still love him
Fav player growing up as a teen in the 90's. Such a unique player. No one had post moves like LJ at his peak.
He & Mashburn were 2 of my favorites. They had low-post moves for days.
LJ was a beast! That UNLV team was one of the best college teams ever!
Hehe they were all bought by unlv😂😂😂
David Butler,Greg Anthony,Stacey Augmon Anderson Hunt,...And George Ackles came in '91 after they beat Duke in '90,
@@DiegoAngeLopez-gc8fv
Moses Curry, too. Not to mention the fabulous Travis Bice from Simi Vally HS. Tark chewing that towel the whole game. lol
Their games with Duke were legendary.
Facts
It's interesting to see Mourning talk about LJ like that. Those guys had serious beef.
Can't hate nobody you don't love.
@@unnaturalselection8330Yeah you can
They buried the hatchet. They got together, talked it out, and decided that they were too old to be carrying around the beef.
But when real men are grown real men, things get worked out... 💪🏼✨️💪🏾✨️🫡
Bro they were very good friends prior to the Drama.
After his back injury, he was able to change his game to more of a below the rim game and three point shooter, and it helped add years to his playing career. As a Knicks’ fan, thank you LJ.
As a Knicks fan we got LJ after his prime but he was still a legendary Knick and is still beloved. Made the transition to a veteran leader and respected presence who still had plenty of game.
LJ was an absolute beast. The injuries took away a lot of his game, but he was still good with the Knicks.
Couldn’t jump like he could but he gained that shot ended up being hell of a shooter
No doubt! Straight up facts.
My favorite back in the day 💪
Thank giving Larry some shine again.
Larry Johnson was one of the most recognizable and popular players in the NBA before even stepping on the court.
That Hornets team, with Alonzo Mourning and Mugsy Bogues and Larry Johnson was really good.
Johnson would be traded to the New York Knicks prior to the 1997 season where he would team with guys like Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston and John Starks and later Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby, as he was a crucial piece to the success of the late 90s Knicks.
He was one of the key players of the Knicks and Heat rivalry of that era as he would constantly feud with his former teammate, Mourning.
It was very unfortunate that he retired from the NBA in 2001 at the young age of 31.
Larry Johnson was a problem for teams, he was a BEAST on both ends of the court!!! A GREAT BASKETBALL PLAYER!!!
This is who Zion, should be studying.
As a Pels fan…I completely agree! Larry was athletic but was super skilled as well. He had a complete, polished game. His touch to score the ball was elite. Zion could certainly learn from watching his game.
Mashburn
@@KotaManifest 👎🏽
Haaa always said that and just said it in my comment..barkey different lj and Zion similar
L j has more swagger than zion.
Love Seeing Zo Talk about LJ GAME. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL
Every Hornets game during the 92-93 season was must see. Man I wish they had NBA League Pass back at that time.
Him Shawn Kemp and CWebb were my favorites
Larry Johnson's back injury didn't surprise me because he would grab an offensive rebound and bring the ball down very low. Then he would burst up and do a thunderous dunk. Of course he used his knees but you still got to bend your back to do that. He also used his back alot to post up to create separation. He even kept his dribble low. Lots of stress on the back. If he would of remained healthy he probably would of had seasons of 28ppg and 12 rebounds.
His back injury drained him of his explosiveness… even after the injury he was still a borderline all-star … he had game for sure, it was just the injury
Zo and grandma Ma was a legendary team. People forget how good that team actually was. Wasn't Bogues there too?
Hell yeah
The disrespect for their best player Kendall Gill.
Thanks for sparking memories. Runnin Rebels was the perfect name for that team. Augmon, Anthony, Tark, Grandma Ma. Athletes had fun original commercials back then
Don't forget Anderson Hunt
@@terryjones662 good call. Makes me want to look for videos. Not sure if Sean can't show a lot of clips due to copyright
Love it. Im from Raleigh, NC. That was my guy, and after he beat Duke. So sad what happened to the Hornets!!
Forget how stacked that Knicks team was, w/ Ewing, LJ, Allan Houston, Spreewell.
Larry Johnson has always been my favourite player of all time for one reason. I fell in love with the game because of him. Watching his rookie season i just couldn't get enough of it. He sparked a 30+ year obsession with the game and many more years to follow so im always thankful i found basketball because of LJ
that UNLV team he was on was awesome to watch...He was a great player.
He was a real beast and Allstars before thr injuries
Him and A.Mcdysse🏀🏀
I remember his basketball card was the one to have..and frank thomas for that rookie year also.
I'm Australian and was born in 1985. My favorite player was Larry Johnson and my favorite team was the Hornets with LJ, Bogues and Morning. Even had a Larry Johnson Grandmama basketball growing up. Wish I could find a pair of his signature Cons Aero Jam shoes. Would be great to go with my Ewing Athletics
Being a kid at the height of his super powers was awesome . He was like Superman. Very likable guy.90s kids can relate
No injuries equals HOF
with his combination of power speed and athleticism he was unstoppable in the paint. if not for the injuries he was sure fire HOF. that 90s NBA was so huge and so physical. it would break your body down. sooner or later
Him and Silk from, from Rhode Island or Temple, had the freshest parts in their hair. Those were the freshest Hip-Hop hair cut years, had to live during that time to get it.
LJ aka Grand Mama was a beast. So sad he hurt his back.
Grandma was a monster before injury he had more range then Barkley but he was fun to watch
When I rock my hair style like yours u are somebody to me!
Because I don't follow to much of anything!
Big shout out to Grand Ma Ma.
And he gave converse a big boost in sales with his sneaker.
From College to the Pros, THE Icon. Was a Big influence to a lot of us back then.
LJ was a beast. I used to get goosebumps rewinding those old nba superstar VHS as a kid, he was one reason I got into playing ball.
Seriously underated..1 of my all time favorite players to watch
Not underrated at all
@@kenbard6371 what is he average?
@@PapaG603 who said anything about average?
@@kenbard6371 well what u saying is what im getting at.
@@PapaG603 no it isn't...nobody is underrated or overrated..they are what they are.
For the young bucks who don't know and haven't seen any videos, LJ was THAT dude at UNLV during that 89/90-90/91 run. He was an absolute star in college and was THE man. They had him and teammate and fellow star Stacey Augmon in suits on the cover of the Sports Illustrated College Preview issue like it was GQ or some sht. Straight up ill. There wasn't a cooler team than UNLV and only the Michigan Fab Five that came the season right after in 91/92 can compare to how much they resonated with the streets. I used to listen to their games on the radio when i was 12-14 ! That's how real sht was. LJ was definitely on that Charles Barkley sht, both in regards to style of play and in lying about his height. He was listed at 6-7 but was allegedly measured at only a bit taller than 6-3 at a pre-draft camp in 91. I always thought he looked closer to like 6-5, but either way you know a dude is real when he gets drafted #1 overall as a power forward being that undersized.
The PLASTIC MAN!!! I'm a big fan
As a Knicks fan, I loved how LJ came to NY and became a defensive presence. I met him at Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 in Vegas-nicest guy ever
Great video. Grandmama was one of my favorites
L.J. was one of my favorite players since he was at UNLV!! It was once he got into the NBA, I realized this guy was really, really good I remember him having that injury it killed his explosion!! A guy with that much muscle mass having one of his gifts taking away really slowed him down.
Great throwback....Grandmama was a great Character of the game!
He is my all time favorite player, rocked the LJ hair cut in highschool.
Peak LJ. Grandmama was game's top PF alongside barkley and malone.
Larry Johnson on was one of my favorite players back in the 1990s! I even had his Charlotte Hornets' jersey back in the day!
Them Runnin Rebels.
One of my favorite players ever!
I remember that dunk competition for sure. His Runnin' Rebel days were impressive as well.
Love your work. LJ my fav player. I saw Kendall Gill clip, where he said Larry was best player he ever played with.
LJ was my favorite player in the early 90's. If we're being honest, he was really only about 6' 4". But he was so strong and so explosive he could battle on the block and get off shots against bigger guys. He was an anomaly at his position and a lot of fun to watch.
I’m 6’5 I was walking right next to him in New York he’s 6’6 -6’7 .
Naw he was his legit hight
Definitely taller than 6'4
Zo said he was 6'6"-6'7"
I still have his rookie card. Loved watching LJ play. He was a beast on that block. Really sucked when he got hurt he wasn’t the same :( he was a player I tried to mimic when I used to play. One of the best in his prime!
When I started college, I had two posters initially - Michael Jordan and Larry Johnson.
I moved to Las Vegas the year UNLV won the championship. It was always pandemonium inside the Thomas and Mack. Larry is a UNLV legend
Larry Johnson is very underrated. He doesn't get enough credit
This man had some of the best signature shoes!
Grand MaMa was a BEAST!!! Started watching him play @UNLV!!
I've been saying the same about getting these type of guys on the shows like All The Smoke and Gil's Arena.... Loved LJ! Saw him play when he was in high school and he reffed our Hoop It Up games in Dallas.
One of my favorite players of all time. Dude was a killer on a stud UNLV teal in college and a beast coming into NBA. I remember trying to pull LJ Motombo rookie cards all year. Good ole days
Thanks for putting this together. LJ was always my favorite when I was growing up.
I definitely remember Larry Johnson. I'm from Dallas. Our High Schools always played one another. I can remember saying, "Who is that!! Every time he got the ball he would slam so hard. He was a sight to see even in high school.
L.J was fun and entertaining to watch. The N.B.A was really fun to watch at that time.
You sir do a fantastic job in showing what 90's basketball was. Your channel is a true gem for us!!!
I was an UNLV hater!! But, Larry Johnson was a men-among-boys during his NCAA career.
Dude had swagger, athleticism, basketball IQ and the physique to be a Top 3 PF in the earlier 90's.
Great Video!!
This was a really nice treat Sean. I like your idea a lot too. I would like to hear more about other ball players. Like Jamal Mashburn. Vinnie Johnson. Mark Aguire. Spreewell. Kevin Johnson. Thank you.
Second that. Especially Aguirre and KJ. I was looking at stats a while back and noticed that Jamaal Wilkes and Kevin Johnson's are almost identical but if you put a gun to my head I think KJ's were just a tad bit better. So how does it make sense that Wilkes is in the HOF but Johnson is not? Voters puttin' too much emphasis on championships when the HOF is supposed to be an INDIVIDUAL honor. Sean should do a video about guys that deserve to be in the Hall.
You brought back a good memory today for me Sean! Thanks man!
From where I lived, but never had a chance to see him play or play against him realized he was special once he got to college!
Probably the best college basketball player ever!
The first time I saw LJ play was in the tournament. He was a MONSTER !!
Heck yeah, we remember LJ. #ConverseReactJuice
Followed LJ sine his junior year at UNLV. One of my favorite players as a kid.
LJ was a positive hybrid in those days. Playing 4/3. Man he was nice
I grew up in Vegas. Unlv LJ is basketball to us. Augmen and Greg Anthony as well. Great video
Definitely should do a show on" Big Dog " Glenn Robinson 💯
Watching this channel is very reminiscent of NBA Jam in the 90s
I’d love to see a video on Shawn Kemp!
One of The Best Power Forwards ...True Goat
Grandma johnson! One of my all time favorite players. To bad for the back injures and him and Zoe couldn't get along team had potential.
LJ, One of my all time favorites!
L J was no joke. I loved his game. Big built strong with a soft beautiful touch. Inside and outside. Loved his game since his Unlv days.
That 4 point play was so epic. Easily in the top 5 moments as an old school knick fan .. maybe even top 1. The way the garden erupted was just incredible
One of my favorite ALL TIME collegiate basketball players
It's a damn shame that we never got to see his full potential and what he could have accomplished
I will always remember this moment
I was a Duke fan when he played them with UNLV & Laettner I think won that game, with Hurly & G. Hill, that started that Dynasty Run! I was a Hornets early days fan too & then he gets drafted by them! Some of my Best memories & was just turning a Teen! I had his & Alonzos Jerseys as Hornets. Think i still do but in storage 🤔
The was the second time they played in the finals....the first time they played they beat Duke and had Bobby hurley crying
L.J. was one of my favorite players when I was a kid. Him, Penny , Chris Webber, and Nick Van Exel was some DAWGS!!
lol I used to have his shoes with converse and the part in the middle of my head ..lol Grandma-ma was a DAWG too!
Prior to his injury no one could handle him. He just had the complete game and amazing athleticism.
Look at his film from College. UNLV 90 & 91. He was a man amongst boys!
One of Tarks boys, back when UNLV was king of college basketball
This channel is money for old school memories- I forgot about Sprewell, Zo and Allan Houston, back when basketball was pure. Thanks man
LJ WAS A BEAST I STAYED UP EVERY TIME UNLV PLAYED LIVING ON EAST COAST. I STILL HAVE HIS UNLV AND HORNETS JERSEY.
Back injury ruined his ability to play above the rim but he transitioned into a good shooter and defender and I’ll never forget the 4 point game
I always said LJ and derrick Coleman as number one picks and power forwards should have been the new Barkley and malone going forward in the 90's..but injury and bad teams held them both back.
Coleman was just a knucklehead thats what held him back
Coleman…
@@christiansoldier77and injuries plenty grow out of that it was more injuries and he had heart problems as well
@@JDay-j8z No he was a knucklehead
@@christiansoldier77 if you say so
Thanks Sean. I am a charlotte native. LJ was my guy. He is a big what if. Had he not gotten hurt who knows
How big is LJ in Charlotte? Does the city still love him ? I’m a huge LJ fan I just wasn’t around for his Charlotte days
92' that coliseum was one of the loudest buildings back then. Larry Johnson was a huge part alongside Alonzo Mourning Kendall Gill.
I absolutely love the work you do. These memories give me goosebumps.
I watched the spot in the video 3 times. First time I relived it, I cheered like it was that night all over again. I had to retuck the kids back into bed after I woke them cheering.
Third viewing was with the kids because, well, they were already up. Might aswell let them watch granmama
Yes..grand ma-ma...not talked about enough... real deal...💯👏👏
LJ Skybox rookie card is still one of my favorite cards ever. Nice looking card