Kevin Johnson

Kevin Johnson played in the NBA for 12 years before becoming the mayor of Sacramento in 2008. Prior to becoming a household name Johnson starred at UC Berkeley where he earned All-American honors on the basketball court and briefly played baseball. Despite being drafted in baseball he decided to pursue a career in the NBA and was selected in the 1st round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. During his career he played for both the Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns and earned three All-Star selections, was named an All-NBA player five times and was voted the NBA’s most improved player in 1989. After retiring from basketball in 2000 he finished his degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley and pursued a career in politics, ultimately becoming the first African-American mayor in Sacramento history. Among his many accomplishments as mayor have been his contribution to the education in the city. As mayor he has launched two education initiatives, Stand UP and Sacramento READS!, that have greatly benefited the youth in the community.