James Johnson (basketball, born 1987) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
James Johnson

Johnson with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022
No. 16 – Indiana Pacers
Power forward / small forward
Personal information
Born	(1987-02-20) February 20, 1987 (age 38) Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.
High school	Cheyenne East (Cheyenne, Wyoming)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College	Wake Forest (2007–2009)
NBA Draft	2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career	2009–present
League	NBA
Career history
2009–2011	Chicago Bulls
2011	→Iowa Energy
2011–2012	Toronto Raptors
2012–2013	Sacramento Kings
2013	Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2013–2014	Memphis Grizzlies
2014–2016	Toronto Raptors
2016–2020	Miami Heat
2020	Minnesota Timberwolves
2020–2021	Dallas Mavericks
2021	New Orleans Pelicans
2021–2022	Brooklyn Nets
2022–present	Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
2× Third-team All-ACC (2008, 2009) ACC All-Freshman team (2008)

James Patrick Johnson (born February 20, 1987) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He started as a power forward for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons from 2007 to 2009. The Chicago Bulls picked him 16th overall in the 2009 NBA draft.

High School Basketball Days

James Johnson went to Cheyenne East High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In his final year, he scored about 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds per game. James and his brother, Scott, also played wide receiver on the school's football team.

Experts like Rivals.com saw Johnson as a top player. In 2007, they ranked him as the 16th best small forward and the 62nd best player in the country.

College Basketball Journey

Johnson joined Wake Forest as a freshman in 2007–08. He quickly made a big impact. He earned third-team All-ACC honors in his first year. He also finished second for the 2008 ACC Rookie of the Year award. He led his team in scoring and rebounding that season.

As a sophomore, Johnson again led the team in rebounding. He helped Wake Forest achieve a 24–5 record. The team even reached a #1 ranking during the 2008–09 season. He was named third-team All-ACC once more. After this season, Johnson decided to enter the 2009 NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting with the Chicago Bulls (2009–2011)

The Chicago Bulls chose James Johnson as the 16th pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He signed his first professional contract with the Bulls on July 8, 2009. Later, on January 27, 2011, he was sent to the Iowa Energy in the NBA D-League. He was called back to the Bulls on February 14, 2011.

Playing for the Toronto Raptors (2011–2012)

On February 22, 2011, Johnson was traded to the Toronto Raptors. This trade involved a first-round pick that the Raptors had received from the Miami Heat.

Time with the Sacramento Kings (2012–2013)

Johnson was traded to the Sacramento Kings on July 16, 2012. The Kings gave up a second-round draft pick in 2014 for him. On December 28, 2012, Johnson made a game-winning three-pointer. This shot happened at the buzzer, giving the Kings a 106–105 win over the New York Knicks.

Short Stint in the D-League (2013)

On September 30, 2013, Johnson signed with the Atlanta Hawks. However, he was waived (released) on October 21. In November 2013, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers picked him up. In 10 games, he averaged 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. He also had 1.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game.

Joining the Memphis Grizzlies (2013–2014)

On December 16, 2013, Johnson signed a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Second Time with the Toronto Raptors (2014–2016)

Johnson returned to the Toronto Raptors on July 17, 2014. On December 19, 2014, he made a powerful dunk against Andre Drummond. This play caused a lot of excitement and became famous among Raptors fans. Johnson's quote, "I cocked that joint back and banged on him!" became a popular saying.

On February 21, 2015, Johnson scored a career-high 27 points. This happened in a game against the Houston Rockets.

Years with the Miami Heat (2016–2020)

On July 10, 2016, Johnson signed a one-year contract with the Miami Heat. He played his first game for the Heat on October 26, 2016. He scored 11 points and had six assists. On February 10, 2017, he scored a season-high 26 points. This helped the Heat win their 13th game in a row. On April 5, 2017, he made 6 of 7 three-pointers and scored 26 points.

Johnson re-signed with the Heat on July 7, 2017, for a four-year contract. On March 19, 2018, he scored a career-high 31 points. This was in a double-overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. Johnson missed the start of the 2018–19 season due to surgery.

Moving to Other Teams (2020–2022)

On February 6, 2020, Johnson was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Later, on November 20, 2020, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Then, on November 27, he was traded again to the Dallas Mavericks.

On March 26, 2021, Johnson moved to the New Orleans Pelicans. He was traded along with another player and a draft pick. On August 6, 2021, Johnson signed a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets. He scored a season-high 19 points on March 1, 2022. The Nets waived him on April 7.

Current Team: Indiana Pacers (2022–Present)

On September 16, 2022, Johnson signed with the Indiana Pacers. He rejoined his former coach, Rick Carlisle. He was waived on February 9, 2023, to make room for new players. However, he re-signed with the Pacers just four days later.

On December 15, 2023, Johnson signed with the Pacers again. He was waived on January 17, 2024, as part of a trade. Two days later, he signed a 10-day contract. He signed another 10-day contract on January 29. On February 8, he signed with the Pacers for the rest of the season. Johnson re-signed with the Pacers on July 25, 2024.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

College Statistics

Personal Life and Interests

James Johnson has both African-American and Samoan family roots. He is also a black belt in karate. Johnson has said he has a kickboxing record of 20 wins and 0 losses. He also claims to have fought in MMA (mixed martial arts). However, these claims have not been officially confirmed.

Johnson has a tattoo of his son's name, "Naymin," on his front neck. He later divorced his wife, Callie.

See also

In Spanish: James Johnson para niños