Growing up in his rough-and-tumble neighborhood in North Charleston, it wasn't all "sunny" South Carolina for Anthony Mark Johnson. To make circumstances even more unfortunate, the previous Orlando Magic guard was born with a rare defect known as cervicalamelia - the absence of a human neck. "Rough times, man" states the Carolina-native. "I'd like to think that I put my past behind me entirely but I can still hear voices in the hall way sometimes, you know?"
Johnson attented R.B. Stall High School in North Charleston where he dealt with constant ridicule due to his condition. A myriad of slanderous nicknames were thrown at him daily. "None of them actually bothered me too much. Turtle-boy, no-neck, whatever" he added, with the slightest bit of laughter. His Mother seems to see it a bit differently, however. Mrs. Johnson tells of how her son constantly got off the bus with bruises and scrapes when coming home. "Maybe I got in a few scuffles because of it, nothing serious. But I whooped some butt when I had to. I was a big boy, man. Tough, and strong, plus no one could ever get me in a headlock so that helped." Johnson mentioned, in his distinctive soft-spoken Southern accent.
Johnson quickly found escape from the hard times in the sport of basketball. In his sophomore year, Johnson would play pickup games every day after school so he could get good enough to make the varsity team. By the time that Junior year rolled around, Anthony Johnson was budding into quite the talent while surprising his opponents in the process. "They we're like 'this kid can't play, he ain't got no neck!' A few times a guy would be guarding me and I'd catch him looking at me kind of confused like 'Where is this dude's neck, seriously?' Then boom! Crossover. Two points." Johnson said.
The six-foot-three star was so superb in his highschool tenure, he soon attended the College of Charleston on an athletic scholarship. He also recieved a $5,000 scholarship from the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS). While there, he studied business administration as a major. When it came to his unborn basketball career, the freshman Johnson led the Cougars to their best record in school history. In his second year, he was named Trans American Athletic Conference Player of the Year. With such an esteemed title accounted to his name, Johnson entered the 1997 NBA draft.
Anthony Johnson was picked in the late second round by the Sacramento Kings. He was the first player ever drafted from the College of Charleston as well as the first player ever drafted with no neck. The Cougar alumni produced a solid rookie season, averaging 7.5 points a game. "I'm really a shooting guard in a point guard's body. Specialists say I would easily be 6'7 if it wasn't for my condition. So I struggled in some areas in my rookie year" Johnson noted. However, he was waived during the offseason due to medical complications. In a twisted sense of irony, the condition that had pushed and motivated him so far was now hindering his entire basketball career. His good friend in his rookie season, Michael Stewart, was the first to break the news to him. "Coach told me to tell him, because we hung out a lot. I didn't want to do it." Stewart said. "But I did, I just went up to him and said 'I'm sorry, dude, but the front office wants to let you go.' I saw the tears in his eyes swell up immediately. He didn't say anything for a minute and took a deep swallow. I think he did, I mean. I couldn't really tell." Stewart added.
Though his condition is not life-threatening, it does produce consistent problems for Johnson. "It's hard for me to turn my head sometimes. My chin will just hit my collarbone." It also affects how he even dresses in the morning. "I got to be careful with my outfits. Collared shirt are out of the question because it removes my peripheral vision completely. And I remember the first time I tried on a turtle-neck. I couldn't breathe out of my mouth. That day was terrible" Johnson exclaimed.
Johnson did not sulk away from the league afterwards. After being waived from the Kings, Johnson spent some time in the NBDL before making the roster of several other NBA teams, eventually winning the hearts of the Indiana Pacers in the 2006 playoffs. With starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley injured indefinitely, Johnson got the nod and dropped 40 points in Game six against the New Jersey Nets. "Anger is what definitely what motivated me that game," Johnson said. "I was arriving at the arena for game six, and I saw Richard Jefferson stepping off the Nets' bus in a purple-plaided turtle neck and I just though to myself 'Man, I want to be able to wear something like that. Just for one time. Just once. Probably not in purple-plaid though. Then RJ gave me a wink and a smile, I'm guessing in a sarcastic manner, and walked off. So yeah, that got me mad, but pumped."
After the 2006 season, Johnson found himself a journeyman, exchanging between four different teams. Finally ending up with the Magic in 2009, Johnson participated in the NBA Finals, becoming the first player without a neck to do so. He was not resigned by the Magic in the following offseason, however. In fact, no team has yet to sign Johnson since his contract expired. On a bright note, the past few offseasons away from basketball has given Johnson opportunities to pursue other interests. He recently finished up his degree in business administration and started his own company: AJ Custom Doors and Windows, proudly representing the state of South Carolina. "The most important thing about my company is that a lot of the money goes back to the AHNS. They helped me so I want to help them too. There are other kids out there struggling with cervicalamelia."
His story is a true testament of how a disadvantage can become the backbone of one's success. When confronted with insults, he turned the other cheek. When Johnson faced scrutiny or hardship, he kept his head up high. Even as a professional basketball player, he swallows his pride and remains humble and kind. On the court, though, he is fearless and cut-throat. Truly, what Johnson lacks in neck, he makes up for with heart. To quote the AJ custom door website, "Your home is unique—as is your desire to outfit it in a way that is meaningful to you. Just like Anthony Johnson."
That's right. Just like Anthony Johnson.
http://www.ajcustomdoors.com/