Arizona Basketball: Former Cat Nick Johnson signs with Orlando Magic
Arizona Basketball seems to have a large footprint in the National Basketball Association. From coaches to players, Arizona’s presence continues to grow, as former Cat Nick Johnson signs with the Magic.
Just days ago, the former Wildcat and Phoenix native received news he will be getting another chance to play in the NBA. This time with former teammate and Wildcat, Aaron Gordon.
As you may recall, Johnson was initially drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 12th pick in the 2nd round. So far he’s had a slow start to his career, plagued by injuries and of course playing for some teams both in the NBA, as well as the NBA Developmental League.
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Looking to have a stable role in the NBA, Johnson is going to have to make the most of his opportunities. Of course, he’s going to have to be given an opportunity to play.
It’s worth noting that Johnson has averaged 9.4 minutes per game in his career, and has only played in 28 games in the NBA for the Rockets in the 2014-15 season alone.
Nick Johnson still trying to make his point #OrlandoMagic https://t.co/Gfim7UfgN6 pic.twitter.com/f7s2XkUnlw
— Magic Report (@magic_fanly) September 11, 2016
Johnson was a big time player for the Wildcats in his three years with Arizona and was a key contributor in the Wildcats’ deep tournament run in 2013-14 losing to Wisconsin on a controversial call.
Always known as one of the fan favorites, Johnson was most notably known for his superior athleticism and stifling defense. Defense is something the Magic could sure use more of due to trading Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
His challenge moving forward will be to learn how to play more consistently at point guard since he is considered undersized for a shooting guard in the NBA. Johnson is certainly accepting and will rise to the challenge.
“It’s been my goal for the last year or so to show I can play that more consistently,” Johnson said at Summer League. “Everyone knows I am an athlete. I’m just trying to run the team a little bit.”
Granted Johnson has a way to go before officially making the roster, but the Magic, of course, are trying to add depth and continuing to build on an already young lineup.
It will be interesting to see what transpires. Orlando already has a talented and crowded group of point guards with D.J. Augustin, C.J. Watson, and Elfrid Payton.
We are certainly excited to see Johnson get another opportunity. He was always a great Wildcat, and he easily has the talent to play. His D-League team the Spurs made it pretty far into the playoffs, and Johnson was a big part of why they were so successful. BearDown, Nick!
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