A native Chicagoan, Johnson is the son of Leo and Frostella Johnson. Educated in Chicago public schools, he graduated from Martha Ruggles Elementary School and Hyde Park High School. While at Hyde Park, he was a basketball standout, team captain selection for the special mention recognition McDonald All-American Team. Upon graduation, Johnson received a four-year scholarship to Northern Illinois University where he led the Huskies to the NCAA playoffs. He graduated from NIU in 1992 with a bachelor's in criminology and sociology.

After college, Johnson pursued his dream of playing professional basketball with the United States Basketball League in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Continental Basketball Association in Rockford, Illinois. After two years, Johnson continued his basketball career in Europe for eight years playing in Lithuania, Spain, Turkey, and Israel.

After retiring in 2001, Johnson pursued his love for working with young adults and children. Working for a variety of organizations, Johnson advised, mentored, and provided support to at-risk teenagers, special education students, and disabled adults. During this time he also served as the boy's head basketball coach at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy. Presently, Johnson serves as the Scarlet Hawks' head basketball coach and the director/coach of Hi-Five Junior NBA Sports Academy. Holding both positions is a dream come true for Johnson as they enable him to work with young women, boys, and girls teaching both the fundamentals and advanced concepts of basketball. With Hi-Five, he also oversees, instructs, and mentors other coaches.

Johnson continues to attended professional workshops and seminars and plans to pursue his master's degree. He is the father of two sons, Torrance and Troy.