Vinnie Johnson’s Net Worth, Biography | Family | Career and more

What is Vinnie Johnson’s Net Worth?

Vinnie Johnson is a former professional basketball player and entrepreneur with a net worth of $400 million. Vinnie played in the NBA for the Seattle SuperSonics, Detroit Pistons, and San Antonio Spurs. He won the NBA title with the Pistons in 1989 and 1990. Johnson earned the nickname “the Microwave” during his playing career for “heating up the team’s offense” in a short period of time.

Vinnie founded the Piston Group after retiring. He built the company into a massive enterprise with billions of dollars in annual revenue.

Early Years and College Career

Vinnie Johnson was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on September 1, 1956. Eric, his younger brother, went on to play in the NBA for the Utah Jazz. Johnson attended Brooklyn’s Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School.

Johnson enrolled as a young adult at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, where he was the star of the school basketball team for two years. He led the team to the NJCAA national tournament in 1976-77 and was named a junior college All-American. Johnson transferred to Baylor University across town for the following season, where he stayed until the end of his college career.

Johnson went on to become one of Baylor basketball’s all-time leading scorers, averaging 24.1 points per game over two seasons. He was a two-time All-American who set a school record for points-per-game average and was named All-Southwest Conference twice. With 50 points against TCU in 1979, he set a Baylor record for most points in a single game.

NBA Career Begining

The Seattle SuperSonics selected Johnson as the seventh overall pick in the 1979 NBA draft. He was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1981. Johnson earned the nickname “the Microwave” from Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge during his time with the Pistons for his ability to “heat up the offense” by scoring multiple points in a short period of time.

Championships in the NBA

In 1988-89, Johnson had one of his best seasons with the Pistons. The team dominated the Eastern Conference during the regular season, winning 63 games. Following a two-game sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, the Pistons defeated the Chicago Bulls in six games, advancing to the finals for the second year in a row, where they would face the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pistons won the series this time by sweeping the injury-plagued Lakers in four games. It was the Pistons’ first NBA championship, as well as the first championship won by a team other than the Lakers or the Celtics since 1983.

Johnson and the Pistons continued their winning ways in the 1989-90 season, winning 13 straight games in January and February and a 12-game winning streak in March. The team won the Eastern Conference with a 59-23 record.

The Pistons swept the Indiana Pacers in three games in the first round of the playoffs, then defeated the New York Knicks in the semifinals and the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year.

Retirement and a Later Playing Career

Johnson’s last season with the Pistons was in 1990-91. The team entered the season as the two-time defending NBA champions, hoping to win a third straight championship. The Pistons started off strong, winning nine games in a row in November. They lost six of their next seven games in December, however. Midway through the season, the team resurrected, winning 11 consecutive games and finishing second in the Central Division with a record of 50-32. The Pistons won both of their playoff series, the first against the Atlanta Hawks and the second against the Boston Celtics. They went on to win their fifth straight Eastern Conference Finals but were swept by the Bulls.

Johnson signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs after the 1990-91 season ended. The team began the season with a 10-3 record but quickly fell to a 21-17 record by late January. The Spurs bounced back under new coach Bob Bass, finishing second in the Midwest Division with a 47-35 record. However, the team was swept in three consecutive games by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. Johnson announced his retirement from the NBA in 1992.

A Career in Business

Johnson founded the Piston Group after leaving the NBA in 1995. It quickly rose to prominence as a major supplier of automotive parts to major international automakers such as General Motors and Ford Motor Company. Johnson is the Chairman and CEO of the Piston Group.

Johnson has served as the chairman of the boards of directors for the joint ventures JL Automotive and PASA Modules, among other things. He is also a member of the Minority Business Development Council of Michigan and the Detroit Chamber of Commerce.

Vinnie currently serves as Chairman and CEO. The company employs over 200 people and generates over $2 billion in revenue per year. Under Vinnie’s leadership, the company’s revenue increased from $500 million in 2012 to $3 billion in the near future. The firm is one of the largest minority-owned businesses in the world.