Johnny Neumann obit

Local basketball legend, former Ole Miss star Johnny Neumann dies at 68

 

He was not on the list.

Johnny Neumann died Tuesday night in Oxford, Mississippi, at the age of 68, according to local sports historian John Guinozzo.

Neumann, who played at Overton High School, Ole Miss and for the Memphis Tams, is regarded as one of area's all-time great basketball products.

He coached in Japan, China, Lebanon and Cyprus and did a stint as coach of the Romanian national team. His death followed a battle with brain cancer, according to the Oxford Eagle.

Though immensely talented, Neumann spoke recently of how he failed to realize his full potential as a player.

"I played with some of the greatest players in the world, and I never thought it would come to an end," Neumann said in the 2017 SEC Storied documentary by ESPN Films titled "The Rebel."

"But then I was arrogant, I was flashy," Neumann said. "I drove Ferraris, had mink coats. I was out of control."

Neumann led the state in scoring on a team of white players at Overton High School in the 1968-69 season. Late in the season, Overton matched up with an all-black Melrose High School team led by Larry Finch and Ronnie Robinson, who later led Memphis State to a national title game appearance.

The game was played in front of 10,000 fans at Mid-South Coliseum, according to the Commercial Appeal. Melrose won 76-65, but Neumann finished with 34 points, even while suffering a broken bone in his left hand.

In 1970-71, his only varsity season at Ole Miss, Neumann led the country with a scoring average of 40.1 points, was a member of several All-America teams and was named the Southeastern Conference's player of the year.

He left Ole Miss at age 19 and signed with the ABA's Memphis Pros, which later became the Tams. He played with the franchise until 1974.

Neumann's $2 million contract was considered exorbitant at the time. He grew a reputation for spending his earnings, especially on cars.

It was the beginning of a circuitous professional playing career that took him to the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers and eventually overseas.

"This guy had all the tools," legendary coach Hubie Brown said in the documentary. "He could score, he could take the last shot. He could take it from outside, he could take you off the dribble."

Brown coached Neumann when he played for the ABA's Kentucky Colonels in the 1975-76 season.

But Neumann's self-described arrogance made him tough to play with.

"I was a young, arrogant, spoiled kid and I didn't listen," Neumann said in "The Rebel."

He eventually returned to Ole Miss and earned his degree at age 65 while his wife and young daughter continued living overseas.

"I owe everything in my life to Memphis, Tennessee," Neumann said in a 2011 Commercial Appeal article. "And see, I've never said that to anybody."

 

Career history

As player:

1971–1974            Memphis Pros / Tams

1974    Utah Stars

1974    Virginia Squires

1974–1975            Indiana Pacers

1975    Virginia Squires

1975–1976            Kentucky Colonels

1976    Buffalo Braves

1976–1977            Los Angeles Lakers

1977    Indiana Pacers

1978–1979            Gabetti Cantù

1980–1982            Saturn Köln

 

As coach:

1982–1984            Maine Lumberjacks / Bay State Bombardiers

1986–1987            RBC Pepinster

1987–1989            PAOK Thessaloniki

1989–1990            Pagrati Athens

1991–1992            Louisville Shooters

1992–1993            Iraklis Thessaloniki

1993–1994            Pezoporikos

1994–1995            AEK Larnaca

1997–1998            APOEL

1998    Hapoel Tel Aviv

1999–2000            Youngstown Hawks

2000    Kazma Sport Club

2001–2002            Lebanon

2003–2004            Al-Hilal Riyadh

2005    Al Ittihad

2006–2007            Zhejiang Lions

2007–2009            Rizing Fukuoka

2009–2010            Takamatsu Five Arrows

2010–2012            Romania

2016–2017            South Panola HS (assistant)

 

Career highlights and awards

As player:

ABA All-Rookie First Team (1972)

FIBA Saporta Cup Finals Top Scorer (1979)

2× German League champion (1981, 1982)

German Cup winner (1981)

Consensus second-team All-American (1971)

SEC Player of the Year (1971)

NCAA season scoring leader (1971)

 

As head coach:

 

Cypriot League champion (1994)

2× Cypriot League Coach of the Year (1994, 1995)

 

Career ABA and NBA statistics

Points   6,022 (13.2 ppg)

Rebounds            1,234 (2.7 rpg)

Assists  1,345 (3.0 apg)