FAMU Basketball Head Coach Clemon Johnson earned a coveted NBA Championship ring while playing with the Philadelphia 76ers. His former NBA team recently applauded him on his new coaching position in a feature published as part of its Alumni Interview Series.
From the 76ers official site:
Clemon Johnson was a back-up center/power forward who arrived in Philadelphia just in time to help them win the 1983 NBA Championship and remained with the Sixers for several more years. After nine seasons in the NBA, he played an additional five in Italy, where he won the Coppa Italia and Saporta Cup with Bologna in 1990. Following his professional career, he taught high school economics and coached basketball in Tallahassee. He served as head coach at University of Alaska Fairbanks for the previous four seasons and was named head coach at Florida A&M in May of this year.
Sixers.com: Congrats on recently being named head coach at Florida A&M. How happy are you to return to sunny Florida after coaching in Alaska for a few years?
Clemon Johnson: I’m overjoyed at the opportunity to come back to Florida A&M University and to the Tallahassee area, which is my home. I’m excited to be able to coach and try to assist the young guys to have the success I had when I played at Florida A&M University.
S.C: Obviously getting your first Division I coaching gig is a huge milestone, but does it mean that much more getting to coach your alma mater?
CJ: It means more to me to come back and coach at Florida A&M University than to go anywhere else. I honestly think the chance to start my D-1 career here is the most joyful moment I could have.
Read the full interview here.