10 greatest NBA players to play junior college basketball 

5. Dennis Johnson, LA Harbor College

Johnson also had a unique journey to the JUCO level as he played sparingly in high school and a growth spurt after his career coupled with playing streetball helped the guard garner the attention of LA Harbor College coaches. Once there, Johnson averaged 18.3 points and 12.0 rebounds and keyed Harbor to a state junior college title.

After his time with LA Harbor College, Johnson joined Pepperdine where he spent one season before he was selected by the Seattle Supersonics with the No. 29 overall pick in the second round of the 1976 NBA Draft. Over the course of his 14-year career, Johnson was named to five All-Star teams, two All-NBA teams, won three NBA championships and was named the 1978-79 Finals MVP. His No. 3 jersey was retired by the Boston Celtics and he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.

Number 3, D.J. Dennis Johnson ☘️👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/M4Cl6zLbjm

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 27, 2022