WSU hires longtime pro Orlando Johnson as first GM of men’s basketball

DAVID RILEY HAS created a new position on his coaching staff, hiring longtime pro Orlando Johnson as the general manager for Washington State men’s basketball. Football has a GM in Ricky Ciccone but with the ever-changing world of NIL and revenue sharing, Riley clearly saw the necessity for his program to make Johnson the first GM in WSU hoops history. Johnson, 36, comes to the role after an extensive professional playing career that spanned 13 years.

Johnson, a 6-5 guard, spent one year at LMU in 2007-08, transferred to UCSB and sat out a year (remember when that was a thing?) and then captured the Big West scoring title the next three-straight seasons. He led the Gauchos to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and was named honorable mention AP All-American in 2010 and the Big West Player of the Year. 

He was selected with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by Sacramento, one spot after Golden State’s Draymond Green.

Johnson would go on to play 103 games in the NBA with Indiana, Sacramento, Phoenix, and New Orleans, averaging 3.2 points per game. He took part in 12 playoff games in 2013 when the Pacers made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

AFTER THE 2016 NBA SEASON, Johnson headed overseas and played professionally far and wide. Indeed, he had stops in Spain, China, Lebanon, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Taiwan, Australia, Philippines, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Mongolia.

All told and including the NBA, Johnson played for 23 professional basketball organizations. He only just retired in January and has quickly made the transition into coaching, starting his career with the Cougars.

It was unclear at press time how the connection was forged between Riley and Johnson, but it’s possible Johnson crossed paths with Riley during his lengthy pro career. Another possibility is WSU assistant coach Pedro Garcia Rosado , who has spent a good chunk of time coaching hoops around the world.

Johnson enjoyed plenty of success overseas, with his team winning the Lebanese league in 2017 and then the Bosnian league in 2018. He was also an NBA D-League All-Star in 2016 while playing with the Austin Spurs.

While Johnson doesn’t have coaching experience, there is a level of professional playing experience that should draw the attention of players and recruits. For example, Johnson can say he played with the likes of Paul George (as can assistant Jerry Brown), Isaiah Thomas, DeMarcus Cousins, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, and Jrue Holiday.

ORIGINALLY FROM MONTEREY, CALIF., Johnson had a difficult upbringing. His mother was murdered when he was a one-year-old and he lost several other family members in a fire when he was six.

He was raised by two older brothers who helped him through high school and got him to college where he embarked on his lengthy basketball career.

Related: WSU’s Isaac Jones recaps first NBA season surge in exclusive sit down; June 29 looms large

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