Draft Profile: Brice Johnson

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Brice Johnson provided much of the fuel that motored the University of North Carolina to the NCAA championship game this past April. He’s coming off the most prolific rebounding season in Tar Heel history, and was a double-double machine, notching a school-record 23 such efforts during his senior campaign. Johnson was one of the top stars of the NCAA Tournament, having averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per contest during UNC’s six-game tourney run.

Possessions Scouted from 2015-16 Season:
OFFENSE: 23.0 percent of possessions
DEFENSE: 30.1 percent of possessions

If Brice Johnson had the season he just had as a freshman, rather than as a senior, he’d be considered a top-10 pick. He is a long, athletic big man who plays stronger than he looks. He’s very bouncy and gets off his feet quickly; it feels like he’s on a pogo stick. He has a very quick release for a big man and is pretty efficient inside of 17 feet. He’s quick and decisive with his moves and has good body control. However, he can get rushed in traffic. He has a unique push-shot that he can make from as far as the free-throw line, and with his athleticism and length, it’s unblockable. His midrange shots settle nicely on the rim. He’s slippery and finds his way through tight spaces. I love his passion and body language, and I’d consider him an energy-giver on offense. He can become a dangerous rim-runner; if you throw it anywhere around the hoop, he can go and get it. He needs to play to his strengths, which are playing in space and on the block. He’s not a good passer, ball handler or decision maker. He’s very active on the glass but is so with athleticism, not physicality. He has the physical tools to be a good defender, but he gets lost and is out of position regularly. This is very worrisome for a four-year player, indicating a lack of IQ and coachability. He’s a ball-watcher and lacks peripheral vision and awareness. However, when he is in proper position, he’s actually a good and versatile on-ball defender. He always gives effort on contests. His communication skills are a question mark.

Jonathan Brice Johnson was born on June 27, 1994 in Orangeburg, S.C. to Herman and Renee Johnson. He attended Edisto High School, where his father served as head coach of the varsity basketball team. Johnson was twice named Gatorade South Carolina Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and also starred on the track and field team, winning the state title in the high jump twice. During his senior season at Edisto, the forward put up a ridiculous season stat line of 25.4 points, 14.3 rebounds, 8.3 blocks and 3.0 assists per game. Johnson committed to UNC where he would play 148 career games over four seasons. He had a strong start to his career, scoring in double figures in nine of his first 15 games. He finished his freshman season as the team’s leader in field goal percentage (51.1 percent) and was the Tar Heels’ second-leading shot blocker. As a sophomore, Johnson averaged 10.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG, a team-leading 1.3 BPG and led the team again in field goal percentage (56.6 percent). The following season he averaged 12.9 PPG, finished seventh in the ACC in rebounds (7.8 per game) and fourth in the conference in field goal percentage, posting a 56.6 percent mark from the field for the second season in a row. Johnson saved his best campaign for last, averaging 17.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG and 1.5 BPG as a senior this past season. He was the seventh-leading scorer in the ACC, second-leading rebounder, and the led the conference in field goal percentage with a 61.4 percent clip. Johnson notched a school-record 23 double-doubles, which included a monstrous 39-point, 23-rebound effort against Florida State on Jan. 4. He also set a single-season program record by corralling 416 total rebounds. That mark was the best in the conference and the fifth-highest total in the nation. He was one of the shining stars of the NCAA Tournament, leading the Tar Heels to the championship game while averaging 19.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 2.7 BPG. Johnson was unanimously selected to the All-America team and also earned a spot on the All-ACC squad.