Cypress Court Dedicated as the “Don Johnson Court”

Johnson won two state championships for Cypress.

Don Johnson was honored for his 27 years of coaching at Cypress.

January 7, 2009

Cypress, Calif. – Cypress College’s basketball court was christened the “Don Johnson Court” Wednesday night during a ceremony to honor the Chargers’ former Men’s Basketball coach. Johnson joined hundreds of guests including over fifty former Cypress players to dedicate the court in his honor. Former players Dave Holmquist and John Moore, head coaches at Biola and Westmont respectively, spoke at the dedication ceremony to honor their former coach. Former Cypress Sports Information Director Al Lombardi and current Athletic Director Diane Henry also joined in the ceremony to celebrate Johnson.

Johnson was touched by the honor telling Lombardi, “This was the most memorable night of my and Collette’s life.” Several of Johnson’s family members including his wife Collette were present to witness the ceremony. Johnson spoke to the crowd on the new Don Johnson Court telling the crowd, “As I look out on this floor in years to come, I will see not so much my name, but beneath these letters. I will see all the bright, shiny, eager young faces who struggled here and to them I am forever grateful.”

Johnson, who retired from Cypress in 1994 as California’s all-time winningest community college men’s hoop coach, built a 588-259 record in 27 years with the Chargers. His teams won two state titles and he coached future NBA standouts Mark Eaton and Swen Nater. As a player, Johnson was a star at Fullerton College (1948-50) and UCLA (1950-52). He earned All-American recognition under the tutelage of John Wooden with the Bruins. For the past twelve years, Johnson has been an assistant coach at Biola University.