Orlando Johnson is a well-known American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) San Miguel Beermen.
He is a player who can open up openings in the middle by keeping defenders honest on the perimeter and as a supplementary scorer.
Johnson’s excellent range, unwavering confidence, and ability to create just enough space to get his shot off have turned him into a danger to score from practically everywhere on the floor.
In this article, we will discuss everything there’s about Orlando Johnson. Hold on to the article till the end to learn more about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Orlando Vincent Johnson |
| Known as | Orlando Johnson |
| Nickname | Not Available |
| Birth Date | March 11, 1989 |
| Birth Place | Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Residence | Not Available |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Education | Palma (Salinas, California) Loyola Marymount (2007–2008) UC Santa Barbara (2009–2012) |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Father’s Name | Not Available |
| Mother’s Name | Vicki Renée Johnson |
| Siblings | Jamell Damon and Robbie (brothers) |
| Age | 35 years old |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Girlfriend | Not Available |
| Children | None |
| Active since | 2012– present |
| Teams |
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| Achievements |
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| Endorsements | Not Available |
| Net Worth | $1 – $5 million |
| NBA Draft Pick | 2012 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36th overall |
| Position | Shooting Guard & Small Forward |
| League | Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) |
| Merch | Basketball Card |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Orlando Johnson | Early Life
Orlando Johnson was never introduced to his father. His mother, who had three sons from three separate men, was murdered when he was one year old.
It happened in Darwin Park in Seaside, at the bottom of a crack cocaine spiral. She was strangled and partially burned by the assailant. No one was ever charged in connection with the crime.
After a defective space heater sparked Christmas decorations, Orlando Johnson’s great grandmother, aunt, and two closest cousins – all of whom he lived with – perished in a house fire when he was seven.
To make matters worse, his cousin Angel, his dearest friend and a constant companion was among them. If his brother Robbie hadn’t sent his girlfriend to bring him up for a visit before the fire, Little Orlando would have died along with them.
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Until Damon had to identify the bodies, his other brother Jamell Damon thought he was gone.
Orlando Johnson’s narrative is one of family, community, crime, and tragedy, with nightmares leading to improbable professional basketball goals. But it’s also a history of quiet toughness passed down through the generations.
Grandmother
As a nurse in the maternity center of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Virginia, Ruth Jackson, Orlando’s grandmother, assisted in the birth of hundreds of Peninsula residents.
Unsurprisingly, she was the first to welcome new staff members, neighbors, and churchgoers into her world.
She assisted with the leadership of the local NAACP branch, earning a regional award for community development in the process. Ruth was named church mother at Seaside’s Friendship Baptist Church. She attended City Council sessions regularly.
She had a few meetings with the police chief. Her offspring marvel at her generosity to others today: Damon recalls witnessing her slip money to neighbors in bad times so they could buy food.
She was a generous person. Sports were perhaps the most important gift she provided Orlando and his brothers, cousins, aunts, and uncles.
She volunteered at the hospital for two more years after she retired. She was sitting on the couch conversing on the phone with a neighbor when a blood clot formed in an artery in her heart.
Athleticism Runs In The Family
Chris Jackson, Orlando’s uncle, is a varsity baseball coach at Alisal High, a JV basketball coach, and a varsity football assistant.
Intelligent people can argue over whether or not our society should place such a high value on sports. However, for a family like theirs, the importance of sports is self-evident.
Orlando Johnson | Brother
After their mother was murdered, Orlando’s older brother Jamell Damon stepped in to assist raise Orlando.
He eventually took over primary caretaking tasks once Virginia Jackson’s heart stopped beating, even though he was still in his early twenties and figuring things out on his own.
While Damon, a decent basketball player, and all-county football player, took on the role of father, bringing Orlando to live with him and his young family while he worked at Pepsi Co., Robbie, his oldest brother, took the job of a coach.
He’s still one of the top pro basketball prospects to come out of Monterey County, a long, quick point guard and smothering defender. In addition, he went on to play professionally in Croatia after making all-conference at Weber State.
Damon was confident that football was Johnson’s best chance at professional sports, and he was correct.
Johnson was a standout quarterback for North Monterey High School as early as his sophomore year, possessing speed, strength, and a 68-yard passing arm.
He grew to 6 ft 5 in and 220 pounds after transferring to Palma High and developed into a dominant wide receiver. After just one season at the position, he received several Division I scholarship offers.
Gave Up Football For Basketball
Johnson’s football coach was aware of the football offers that came for him, as well as Johnson’s passion for basketball. He advised him to give up the time-consuming second sport.
Moreover, Damon has always claimed and continues to do so –that football would have been a considerably more doable road to the pros.
Johnson, on the other hand, ignored his coach. Instead, he turned down the offers as well as his coach. He gave up football to concentrate on basketball.
Johnson could be found anywhere there was a pickup game in Salinas. He was a member of any touring basketball team that existed. He went to every open gym he could find.
According to Palma’s basketball coach Paul Alioto, Orlando never missed a practice. He recalls adding methods and encouraging teammates to join him for early morning workouts while the rest of the school was sleeping.
Orlando would arrive at the gym at 5 a.m. to shoot 500 shots. His hardware has undoubtedly paid him well at present.
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Orlando Johnson | Career
College Career
Johnson attended Palma High School in Salinas, California, and began his collegiate career at Loyola Marymount University.
Johnson led the Lions in scoring and rebounding as a rookie, averaging 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He transferred to UCSB after a coaching change at LMU.
Johnson had an immediate impact on the Gauchos in the Big West Conference. He averaged 18 points and 5.9 rebounds per game after sitting out the 2008–09 season due to NCAA transfer regulations.
Johnson declared himself ready for the 2011 NBA draft after his junior season but chose to return to UCSB for his senior year.
Professional Career
The Sacramento Kings selected Johnson with the 36th overall choice in the 2012 NBA draft. He was moved to the Indiana Pacers almost immediately.
He signed a multi-year contract with the Pacers on July 12, 2012. In a win over the Atlanta Hawks on March 23, 2013, he set a season-high with 15 points.
During his rookie season, he had various assignments with the NBA Development League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
He signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns on February 5, 2016. The following day, he made his Suns debut, scoring seven points, one rebound, and one steal in 19 minutes against the Utah Jazz.
He signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans on March 9, 2016, to assist the team deal with many injuries.
Johnson joined the Philippine Basketball Association’s San Miguel Beermen on December 30, 2021. (PBA).
Exterior Features
Johnson possesses an NBA-type body and is a capable athlete. He can stretch the floor and has NBA range. He stands at 6 ft 5 in tall and weighs 100kg.
Orlando flies above the flooring, swooping in from behind a driving player and pinning his shot against the backboard of the glass.
He moves past the three-point line, collects a pass, and slams a perfect jump shot into the hoop. He blows by and head-fakes his man in the air before completing with his left hand at the rim.
Johnson can disrupt players on the perimeter with his 6’11” wingspan and employs that skill correctly at the NBA level.
Orlando Johnson | Girlfriend
At this time, Orlando Johnson is not in a relationship. Despite being one of the most popular basketball players, Johnson has never been linked to any girlfriends or extramarital affairs.
There is no evidence that Orlando is in a relationship. His supporters have a flood of personal questions for him.
On the other hand, the player prefers to keep his personal life private.
The athlete has never spoken publicly about his personal life in front of the public, making learning about his wife quite challenging.
However, because he is well-known and successful, his fans will eventually find out about his love life.
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Orlando Johnson | Net Worth
According to multiple reports, Orlando Johnson is said to have a net worth of between $1 – $5 million. The athlete’s primary source of income is his professional basketball career.
Furthermore, as an athlete, he must be involved in various endorsement projects, which adds to his fortune.
The basketball player appears to live a rich lifestyle, as he frequently tweets photos of himself traveling to fancy exotic locations.
We are confident that he will make more than this as his career progresses. He, on the other hand, likes to live a modest lifestyle.
Social Media Presence
Orlando Johnson is pretty active on various social media platforms. However, he is particular more active on Instagram.
The athlete mostly posts pictures of his basketball games and sometimes gives glimpses of his personal life.
Below is the link to his social media accounts:
Instagram– 8.9k Followers
Twitter– 17.6k Followers
FAQs
Where is Orlando Johnson now?
Johnson joined the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) San Miguel Beermen on December 30, 2021.
The Brisbane Bullets had already hired a former NBA star as an import for the Hungry Jacks’ NBL season in 2020/21.
