Alize Johnson facts for kids

Alize DeShawn Johnson (born April 22, 1996) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders in Japan's B.League. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for the Missouri State Bears.

Alize was chosen by the Indiana Pacers in the 2018 NBA draft. He was the 50th player picked overall.

Early Years in Basketball

Alize Johnson was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. When he started high school at St. John Neumann, he was a smaller point guard, about 5 feet 9 inches tall.

By the time he finished high school, Alize had grown a lot, reaching 6 feet 4 inches. He had a very successful high school career. In his senior year, his team had an amazing 30-1 record. Alize averaged 24.1 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.

Even with these great stats, he didn't get many offers from top college teams. He played for Team Pennsylvania in AAU basketball.

College Basketball Journey

Because he didn't get many offers from big colleges, Alize first went to Frank Phillips College. He played there for two years. After that, he moved to Missouri State University to continue his basketball and studies.

At Missouri State, Alize quickly showed how good he was. In November 2016, he scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Jacksonville State. Later that year, he had 20 points and 16 rebounds against Oral Roberts.

On December 30, he scored a career-high 30 points and got 15 rebounds in a game against Indiana State. During the 2016–17 season, Alize had 17 games where he scored double-digits in two different stats (called a "double-double"). He was also named to the MVC All-Tournament team.

In April 2017, Alize thought about joining the 2017 NBA draft. He didn't hire an agent, which meant he could still go back to college. This allowed him to get feedback from NBA teams. He even had a private workout with the Boston Celtics. In the end, he decided to return to Missouri State for his final year.

Before his senior year, Alize was invited to the Adidas Nations basketball camp. This camp features many top young players. Alize was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the camp. This helped more NBA teams notice him. Experts started predicting he would be picked in the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting with the Indiana Pacers (2018–2020)

On June 21, 2018, the Indiana Pacers picked Alize Johnson in the 2018 NBA draft. He was the 50th player chosen. He played well in the NBA Summer League, averaging 12.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

On July 17, 2018, Alize signed a two-year contract with the Pacers. He made his NBA debut on October 19, 2018, against the Milwaukee Bucks.

During his time with the Pacers, Alize also played for their G League team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The G League is like a development league for the NBA. He played very well there, averaging 18.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. On August 14, 2020, Alize grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in an NBA game against the Miami Heat.

Playing for Raptors 905 (2021)

In January 2021, Alize joined Raptors 905, another team in the NBA G League. He played 15 games there, averaging 16.6 points and 13.3 rebounds. He helped the Raptors 905 have the best record in the league that season.

Time with the Brooklyn Nets (2021)

On March 22, 2021, Alize signed a short contract with the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game with the Nets on March 24, he had a career-high 23 points and 15 rebounds. This was a great start!

He later signed a multi-year contract with the Nets. On April 29, Alize had another amazing game, scoring 20 points and grabbing a career-high 21 rebounds against his former team, the Indiana Pacers. He was waived by the Nets in September 2021.

Other NBA Teams (2021–2022)

After the Nets, Alize played for a few other NBA teams. He signed with the Chicago Bulls in September 2021. Later, he joined the Washington Wizards in December 2021. In March 2022, he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Austin and San Antonio Spurs (2022–2023)

In October 2022, Alize joined the Austin Spurs, a G League team. He also signed a contract with the San Antonio Spurs in November 2022, playing a few games for them before rejoining Austin.

Wisconsin Herd (2023)

In January 2023, Alize was traded to the Wisconsin Herd, another G League team.

Playing Overseas (2023–Present)

Alize then started playing basketball in other countries. In August 2023, he signed with Jeonju KCC Egis in the Korean Basketball League. He helped them win the KBL championship in 2024!

In May 2024, he played for the Atléticos de San Germán in Puerto Rico. Since June 2024, Alize has been playing for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders in Japan.

Alize's Personal Life

Alize Johnson is the son of David Hill and Chanelle Johnson. He has three brothers named David, Davion, and Nasza. He also has four sisters: Davesha, Destiny, Davida, and Alana. His cousin, Chevon Troutman, is also a professional basketball player who plays overseas. Alize earned a degree in communications from Missouri State University in 2018.

Helping the Community

Alize is very active in helping others. He focuses a lot on his hometown of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He also helps out in the Indianapolis area, where he participated in many community events with the Pacers and Mad Ants.

In late 2018, Alize started the Alize Johnson Foundation. Their first big event was giving out Thanksgiving meals to over 100 families in Williamsport who needed help. In November 2018, he donated basketball shoes to over 40 high school players from three different schools in his home county.

In early 2019, Alize announced he was donating $145,000 to build a new basketball court at a park. The court officially opened on June 2, 2019. In July 2019, Alize held his first basketball camp in Springfield at his old college. He also held a camp at his former high school, where 45 kids participated and received signed Pacers gear. His foundation covered all the costs for these camps.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

NBA Playoff Stats

College Stats

See also

In Spanish: Alize Johnson para niños

• List of people from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania