University of San Francisco Athletics

Ollie Johnson was born on December 25, 1949 in Washington D.C., and attended Springarn High School, where he was a three-time All InterHigh and two-time MET winner under Head Coach William Roundtree. He averaged 19.9 PPG and 17.5 RPB his senior high school year.
 
Johnson played college basketball at USF and was listed at 6’ 7”, 200 lbs. Ollie played both center and power forward during his tenure at USF from 1962 to 1965. During his sophomore year, he was the team’s leading scorer at 17.3 PPG. Johnson made the All-Northern California Team and All-WCAC, as well as serving on all-tournament teams and the ten-man All-Sophomore All-American team selected by Basketball News. Ollie helped lead the Dons to the 1958 WCAC title.
 
He was an All-West Coast Conference pick each of his last three years, and was named WCAC Player of the Year his junior and senior years. Johnson led USF to WCAC Tournament Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in all three seasons. The Dons lost the regional final, but Johnson led in scoring and rebounding. He finished his USF career second in rebounding (1323) and scoring average (19.9) after Bill Russell and first in points (1668).  

In addition to many conference honors, he was named an All-American in 1964 and 1965. Coach John Wooden called him “the best on the low post for position and finesse” that he had ever seen (USF Athletics). USF went on to retire his jersey (#32).  
 
Johnson was selected in the 1965 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics in the First Round (11^th pick overall), but never played. Johnson played for the San Francisco Athletic Club in the Amateur Athletic Union and was named AAU All-American in 1965. Ollie  played overseas in the Basketball League in Belgium for three seasons, and then entered the corporate world as an Operations Manager for Catholic Charities, USA., in Washington, D.C.