Former Pac-12 player of the year Nick Johnson didn’t get to hear his name called in the first round of the NBA draft, but he did land with the Houston Rockets with the 42nd selection. Johnson starred at the University of Arizona, and as a member of the Wildcats he was one of the best combo guards in the country. Johnson was a consensus first team All-American as well as being a member of the first team All-Pac-12 team. Despite the lofty accolades many knocked Johnson’s capabilities to translate that play to the NBA.
Coming into the draft the knock on Johnson was that he was too small to play shooting guard, and he was more of a shoot-first point guard so teams didn’t know what route to go. Johnson has proven he can play at a high level by being the best player in a tough conference (Pac-12) as well as holding his own against some of the nation’s top guards.
This summer has been a great one for Johnson as he is finding his niche with the Houston Rockets. I know it’s asinine to give premature praise, because of the NBA Summer League, but there has been times when Johnson looked like a man amongst boys. Johnson is in the perfect situation, because the Rockets need defense and strong play with both guard positions off of the bench. Johnson was an All-Defensive team performer in his conference, and his defense and versatility can get him on the floor immediately.
During the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, Johnson has played well at both guard positions. Combining both summer leagues Johnson has scored in an efficient fashion and he has shown the ability to defend and run a team. Johnson may not be a starter right out of the gates, but in a few years he can be the starting point guard.
In high school and college Johnson has always played with a chip on his shoulder. Now that he is in the NBA I expect him to continue to keep that chip on his shoulder. Forty-one names were called before Johnson’s and I am sure he has a mental rolodex of everyone who went in front of him. It has been proven that it doesn’t matter where you are drafted to have an impact. The Houston Rockets may have struck gold with Johnson, and it will be interesting to see how he develops playing alongside Dwight Howard, James Harden, and other key veterans.
