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 in the second round.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Alize Johnson was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. When he started high school at St. John Neumann Regional Academy, he was a point guard who was 5 feet 9 inches tall. By the time he finished high school, he had grown to 6 feet 4 inches!

He had a great high school career. In his senior year, his team had an amazing record of 30 wins and only 1 loss. 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 big Division I colleges right away.

College Basketball Journey

Because he didn't get many Division I offers, Alize first went to Frank Phillips College for two years. After that, he transferred to Missouri State University to continue playing basketball and studying.

First Year at Missouri State (2016-2017)

Alize had a fantastic first year at Missouri State.

• On November 11, 2016, he scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Jacksonville State.
• Later, on December 14, 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 win against Indiana State.

He finished the 2016–17 season with 17 games where he scored double-digits in two different stats (called "double-doubles"). He scored 20 or more points in nine games and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 22 games. He even had two games with 20 or more rebounds! He was named to the MVC All-Tournament team.

Considering the NBA Draft (2017)

After his first year at Missouri State, Alize thought about joining the 2017 NBA draft. He didn't hire an agent, which meant he could still go back to college if he wanted to. 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 withdraw his name from the draft and return to Missouri State for his senior year.

Senior Year and NBA Attention (2017-2018)

Before his senior season, Alize was invited to the Adidas Nations basketball camp. This camp features top young players who might go to the NBA. Alize was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the camp, even over other highly-rated players. This really helped NBA teams notice him! Many people started predicting he would be picked in the first or early second round of the upcoming NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Indiana Pacers (2018–2020)

On June 21, 2018, the Indiana Pacers picked Alize Johnson with the 50th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He played for the Pacers in the 2018 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he showed off his skills. On July 17, 2018, he officially signed a two-year contract with the Pacers.

Alize made his NBA debut on October 19, 2018, against the Milwaukee Bucks. He also spent time playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers' team in the NBA G League. He played well in the G League, averaging 18.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. Towards the end of the 2018-19 NBA season, he got more playing time with the Pacers.

On August 14, 2020, Alize had a career-high 17 rebounds in a game against the Miami Heat.

Raptors 905 (2021)

In late 2020, Alize signed with the Toronto Raptors, but was later waived. He then joined Raptors 905 in the NBA G League in January 2021. He played 15 games, averaging 16.6 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He helped the Raptors 905 have the best record in the league that season.

Brooklyn Nets (2021)

On March 22, 2021, Alize signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets. In his very first game with the Nets on March 24, he had a career-high 23 points and 15 rebounds! He later signed a multi-year contract with the Nets. On April 29, he had another amazing game, scoring 20 points and grabbing a career-high 21 rebounds in a win against the Indiana Pacers. He was waived by the Nets in September 2021.

Other NBA Teams (2021–2022)

After leaving the Nets, Alize played for a few other NBA teams:

• Chicago Bulls (2021)
• Washington Wizards (2021–2022)
• New Orleans Pelicans (2022)

Austin / San Antonio Spurs (2022–2023)

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

Wisconsin Herd (2023)

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

Playing Overseas (2023–Present)

Alize then began playing basketball internationally:

• Jeonju KCC Egis (now Busan KCC Egis) in the Korean Basketball League (2023–2024). He helped them win the KBL championship in 2024!
• Atléticos de San Germán in Puerto Rico (2024).
• Kawasaki Brave Thunders in Japan (2024–present).

Personal Life and Community Work

Alize Johnson is the son of David Hill and Chanelle Johnson. He has three brothers and four sisters. He is also related to another professional basketball player, Chevon Troutman. Alize earned a degree in communications from Missouri State University in 2018.

Helping His Community

Alize is very active in charity work, especially in his hometown of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He has also helped out in the Indianapolis area.

• In late 2018, he started the Alize Johnson Foundation. Their first big event provided Thanksgiving meals to over 100 families in need in Williamsport.
• 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 donated $145,000 to open a new basketball court at a park in Williamsport. The court officially opened on June 2, 2019.
• In July 2019, he held his first yearly basketball camp in Springfield, Missouri, at his old college.
• Later that month, he held another camp at his former high school. Forty-five kids participated and received signed gear from the Pacers, with all costs covered by Alize's foundation.

Career Statistics

Here are Alize Johnson's career statistics in the NBA and college.

NBA Regular Season Summary

NBA Playoffs Summary

College Career Summary

See Also

In Spanish: Alize Johnson para niños

• List of people from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania