UNLV's national champion and consensus player of the year — led the Runnin' Rebels to a historic title.
Larry Johnson was born in Tyler, Texas in 1969. He attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas under coach Jerry Tarkanian and won the national championship in 1990. He was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He won the Naismith Award as national player of the year in 1991. He averaged 22.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game across two UNLV seasons. The 1990 championship team — which defeated Duke 103-73 in the most lopsided title game in tournament history — was considered by many the greatest college basketball team ever assembled, featuring five eventual NBA draft picks and a system that overwhelmed opponents before the game began. He was selected first overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1991 NBA Draft. His professional career produced the Rookie of the Year award and two All-Star appearances before a back injury disrupted his effectiveness. His UNLV career — two seasons that produced a national championship and a national player of the year award — is the most decorated two-year career in Runnin' Rebels history and one of the finest in the Mountain West region.
National Championship (1990)
Career Honours
- National Championship (1990)
- Naismith Award (1991)
- Tournament MOP (1990)
- First overall pick 1991