John Salmons
A versatile and savvy NBA swingman whose clutch shooting and defensive flexibility made him a valued contributor on multiple playoff teams.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American basketball player·Birthday: December 12·Generation X
Biography
John Salmons built a 13-year NBA career not on flashy highlights, but on a steady, intelligent game that coaches trusted in critical moments. The Philadelphia 76ers drafted him in the first round, but it was in Sacramento and later Chicago where he truly flourished as a starting two-guard. Salmons had a knack for creating his own shot with a methodical, old-school mid-range game, and he often seemed to elevate his play when the stakes were highest. His mid-season arrival in Chicago during the 2008-09 season helped catalyze a thrilling playoff run, where his scoring punch was essential. He later played key roles for Milwaukee and Toronto, respected as a professional who could guard multiple positions and deliver in the fourth quarter. Salmons' career is a testament to the value of a player who masters the nuances of the game.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
John was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Averaged 18.3 points per game in the 2009 playoffs for the Chicago Bulls during their epic first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
- Scored a career-high 32 points in a game for the Sacramento Kings in 2008.
- Played in 52 playoff games over his career, starting in 30 of them for various teams.
- Logged over 25,000 minutes across 13 NBA seasons, demonstrating lasting value and durability.
Did You Know?
He was traded mid-season three times in a four-year span between 2009 and 2012.
Salmons played his college basketball at the University of Miami, where he was a two-time All-Big East selection.
He legally changed his last name from Salmons to 'Salmons' early in his NBA career, reverting to the original family spelling.
He started every game he played for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2010-11 season.
“I was a two-way player who took the shots the defense gave me.”
