Ole Miss Basketball Legend Johnny Neumann Remembered at Pavilion

Memorial Banner for Johnny Neumann in Pavilion April 29th, 2019.

A former Ole Miss basketball player, ABA player, NBA player, coach, father, son, brother, and best friend are all a few words used to describe the legend, Johnny Neumann at a memorial service held in the Pavilion Monday.  Neumann lost his battle to cancer, April 23rd, 2019.

“He was amazing, I wish everyone had the chance to meet him,” lifelong friend and teammate of Neumann, Steve Farese said. “He was a wonderful friend, father, husband, but he was an outstanding basketball player.”

Neumann played basketball in high school then college, he had an astonishing record of 40.1 points per game. After playing at Ole Miss for one year, Neumann signed a $2 million contract with an American Basketball Association team, the Memphis Pros.  Then, he was eventually drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1973.

“His talent was off the charts, he loved what he did and you sure could tell it,” teammate Jack McKenzie said. “I loved getting to watch him play, he was so good you couldn’t take your eyes off of him.”

The service was held in the Pavilion Club, where many friends and family members gathered to talk and reminisce about the memories they had with Johnny.

“He was such a great person, you just hate to see a disease take over him like that,” Farese said. “Along with being a great player, too.  It was an honor to get to play with him.”

After Neumann’s ball career, he began coaching in Japan, China, Israel, and elsewhere.  After his coaching career, he came back to Oxford to finish his degree in 2013.  He graduated from Ole Miss at 64 years old.

“He was unstoppable, on the court and in life.  He had a larger than life personality.  He was so fun, likable, you just always enjoyed being around him,” McKenzie said.

By Bailey Martin bcmartin@go.olemiss.edu.