Dakari Johnson facts for kids
Johnson in Kentucky's Blue-White scrimmage in 2013
|
||||||||||||||
| Free agent | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | September 22, 1995 Brooklyn, New York, U.S |
|||||||||||||
| High school |
|
|||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 255 lb (116 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Kentucky (2013–2015) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2015 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2015–present | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Oklahoma City Blue | |||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Oklahoma City Thunder | |||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Qingdao Eagles | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | Anhui Wenyi | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | Anhui Wenyi | |||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Qingdao Eagles | |||||||||||||
| 2024 | Anhui Wenyi | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
Medals
|
||||||||||||||
Dakari Naeem Johnson (born September 22, 1995) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for Anhui Wenyi in China's NBL. This league is the second-highest level of professional basketball in China. Before playing professionally, he played college basketball for the University of Kentucky.
Contents
High School Basketball Journey
.JPG)
Dakari Johnson first went to St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. When his coach, Kevin Boyle, moved to Montverde Academy, Dakari followed him. He had to sit out the 2011–12 season because of the transfer rules.
Becoming a Top Player
Because he was doing so well in school, Dakari decided to finish high school early. This meant the 2012–13 season was his last year. In his senior year, he was amazing on the court. He averaged 17.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks per game. His great performance earned him a spot on the USA Today All-American Second-Team. He was also chosen to play in the famous 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. Experts like ESPN.com thought he was a five-star recruit. They ranked him as the second-best center in the country for 2013.
College Career at Kentucky
As a freshman at Kentucky in 2013–14, Dakari Johnson played as a backup. He supported his teammate Julius Randle. He played in 39 games, averaging 5.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Sophomore Season and NBA Draft
In his second year (sophomore season), he continued to be a backup. This time, he played behind new players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein. He played in 39 games again. His numbers improved slightly, with 6.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. On April 9, 2015, Dakari decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he would leave college two years early to become a professional player. Several of his Kentucky teammates also entered the draft that year.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting with Oklahoma City Blue (2015–2017)
On June 25, 2015, the Oklahoma City Thunder picked Dakari Johnson. He was the 48th player chosen in the 2015 NBA draft. He then joined the Thunder for the 2015 NBA Summer League. There, he averaged 7.6 points and 8.6 rebounds in five games.
Playing in the NBA G League
On November 3, 2015, Dakari joined the Oklahoma City Blue. This team is part of the NBA Development League, now called the NBA G League. It's like a training ground for NBA players. He played his first professional game on November 14. He scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Dakari played in all 50 games for the Blue in the 2015–16 season. He averaged 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Because of his great play, he was named to the NBA D-League All-Rookie Team. He continued with the Blue for the 2016–17 season. In February 2017, he was chosen for the NBA D-League All-Star Game.
Joining the Oklahoma City Thunder (2017–2018)
On July 22, 2017, Dakari Johnson officially signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He made his NBA debut on October 19, 2017. He scored four points in the Thunder's win against the New York Knicks. During his time with the Thunder, he started six games. He filled in for Steven Adams as the starting center. The team won five out of those six games when he started. Dakari played well, especially against tough opponents like DeAndre Jordan.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Thunder, Dakari was traded to the Orlando Magic in July 2018. A few days later, he was traded again to the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the Grizzlies decided to release him in August 2018.
Playing in China (2018–Present)
On September 11, 2018, Dakari Johnson signed with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). This is a top league in China.
Championships in China
In August 2019, Dakari played for Anhui Wenyi in the NBL. He helped them win a championship and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the finals! He then returned to the Qingdao Eagles for the 2019–20 season. He continued to play well, averaging 23.7 points and 14.5 rebounds. He re-signed with Qingdao in September 2020. Dakari has continued to play for both Qingdao Eagles and Anhui Wenyi, winning another NBL championship in 2023.
Dakari's Basketball Family
Dakari Johnson comes from a family of basketball players in Brooklyn, New York. He is the third generation in his family to play basketball. His grandfather, Leslie R. Campbell, also known as Jitu Weusi, played college basketball. Dakari's mother, Makini Campbell, also played at Long Island University. His uncle, Kojo Campbell, played at Stony Brook University. Dakari's brother, Kamani Johnson, played college basketball at Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas. His cousin, Michael Murray, played at Coppin State University and professionally in Spain.
Personal Life
Dakari is married to Mercedes Johnson. They got engaged in 2020 and have one child together.
Images for kids
-
Johnson in Kentucky's Blue-White scrimmage in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Dakari Johnson (baloncestista de 1995) para niños
