WATCH: Ervin Johnson Introductory Press Conference

NEW ORLEANS – The LSU New Orleans basketball program is thrilled to welcome home one of its all-time greats as head coach Stacy Hollowell has announced Ervin Johnson as the latest addition to his coaching staff.

"Ervin Johnson's story is one that has inspired me since I was a kid. During his time at the University of New Orleans, he inspired so many other New Orleanians as well. He wasn't always the most talented player on the floor, but his determination and his refusal to be outworked helped turn him into an NBA player who would go on to have an impressive 13-year career," said Hollowell.

"To now have the opportunity to bring someone I admired growing up onto our staff is incredibly special. I'm excited about what Ervin will bring to our program but even more excited about the example he will set for our student-athletes. There are few people better qualified to teach them what it takes to chase a dream and make it a reality."

From 1989 to 1993, Johnson left an indelible mark on the hardwood at Lakefront Arena. Now, the former 13-year NBA veteran looks to add to his Hall of Fame legacy in New Orleans – this time from the Privateers' bench.

Hailing from the small town of Jonesville, La., Johnson's basketball journey really started with a knock on the office door of fellow Privateer Hall of Famer Tim Floyd in November of 1988. Word had reached the 6-foot-11 Johnson that Floyd was looking to add height to his basketball team. Floyd immediately put Ervin on scholarship, and he redshirted during the 1988-89 season.

By the time his Privateer career was over in 1993, Johnson was an All-American with 87 victories, two NCAA Tournament appearances, an NIT appearance and three conference championships to his credit. Johnson was named first-team All-American South Conference in 1992, first-team All-Sun Belt Conference in 1992 and 1993, and the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 1993.

He finished his time in college ranked first in program history in field goal percentage (59%), blocks (294), double-doubles (55), and rebounds (1,287). He ranked second in total points (1,608), third in double-figure scoring games (81), and eighth in steals (109). In total, he set 26 school records during his time on the Lakefront, including the school record for rebounds in a game (27) and blocks in a game (12) – two records that still stand today.

Johnson was a first round draft pick (23rd overall) by the Seattle SuperSonics – the only first-round pick in program history. He played in 845 games between his time in Seattle (1993-96), Denver (1996-97), Milwaukee (1997-2003, 2005-06) and Minnesota (2003-05). During his sole season in Denver, he started all 82 games and averaged 7.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. He also played a key role on the 1996 Sonics team that made the NBA Finals, playing in 81 games with 60 starts while averaging 5.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

New Orleans retired his No. 40 in 1997 – the first men's basketball number retired in program history. In 2005, the Sun Belt Conference named him to its All-Time Team. In 2013, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame – one of just two
Privateer selections to this day (Ron Maestri, 1995). In 2018, he was inducted into the Allstate Sugar Bowl New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was named the greatest player in program history to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Privateer men's basketball, and most recently, in 2022, he was inducted into the Privateer Athletics Hall of Fame.

Following his NBA career, Johnson pursued another passion – telling his story and helping young people. As a community ambassador for the Denver Nuggets, he promoted the importance of education, positivity, self-confidence, goal setting and respect to more than 100 local schools and over 15,000 students over the past decade. While Floyd was still coaching at Iowa State, Southern California and UTEP, Johnson was an active speaker working to improve the lives of student-athletes at those programs.

ABOUT LSU NEW ORLEANS
In July of 2026 the University of New Orleans rejoined the LSU system and rebranded to "LSU New Orleans" bringing together two powerful brands - the purple and gold of LSU with the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans. The transition marks a return to the LSU family for the University - a place it called home from 1958-2011. Athletic teams will remain the Privateers and continue to compete in the Southland Conference.

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