CBA mourns passing of Dennis Johnson, Barry Stevens
February 23, 2007 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release
ALBANY, NY (February 23, 2007) -The Continental Basketball Association is saddened by the sudden passing of two former CBA head coaches in recent days. On February 21, 2007, former CBA veteran player and Gary Steelheads head coach Barry Stevens, collapsed while working out at Hudson-Campbell Fitness Center in Gary, and could not be revived. He was 43. Just one day later, on February 22, 2007, the basketball world was rocked by the passing of NBA legend and former La Crosse Bobcats head coach Dennis Johnson, who suffered a fatal heart attack after conducting a practice with the NBA Development League's Austin Toros. Johnson was 52.
The NBA accolades for Johnson were numerous - three NBA championship rings (1979 Seattle, 1984 and 1986, Boston), the 1979 series MVP, the famous playoff layup after receiving the Isiah Thomas inbounds steal by Larry Bird in the 1987 NBA playoffs, a moment memorialized by Celtics announcer Johnny Most's famous radio call. During the 1999-2000 season, Johnson was head coach of the CBA's La Crosse Bobcats, and compiled a 14-22 mark with that franchise, and was named Coach of the Month in January 2000. Before he was called up to coach the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, Johnson had guided three of his Bobcats - Brandon Williams, Mark Hendrickson, and Mark Davis - to the NBA.
Barry Stevens played for seven seasons in the CBA, suiting up for several different franchises from 1986 to 1994. During that time, he scored 3,789 points (15.3 ppg), and added 163 points in two playoff runs (1989, 1992). He played in the 1991 CBA All-Star Classic, and won the 1991 Long Distance Shootout trophy at that event. In 1999, Stevens put in motion the marketing plan that, two years later, would result in a CBA franchise for his hometown of Flint, Michigan (which eventually became the 2001-02 Flint Fuze). In the 2001-02 season, Stevens was hired as the head coach and director of basketball operations for the Gary Steelheads, guiding them to a 22-34 record and earning Coach of the Month honors in March 2002.
Johnson is survived by his wife, Donna, and his sons Dwayne, Dennis and Daniel. Stevens is survived by his wife Sarita, his daughter Arriel, and his sons Darius and Jarius. Funeral arrangements for both men are pending as of the time of this release.
"The recent passing of these two former head coaches is a loss for everyone in the basketball community," said CBA Director of Operations Dennis Truax. "Barry was instrumental in the formation of the Flint Fuze and did an excellent job with the Steelheads when they returned to the reformed CBA in 2001-02. Barry was also an excellent player in the CBA and could really shoot it from behind the arc. Dennis was a complete professional on and off the court. His talents on the court speak for themselves and he was making a great transition from playing to coaching. The world is a lesser place without these two men. On behalf of everyone in the CBA, I want to pass on our condolences to the families of Barry Stevens and Dennis Johnson for their loss."
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