Prospect Profile

** Traded to Boston on Draft night

Strengths:

  * Great athlete
  * 7-1 wingspan
  * Variety to offensive game
  * Gets to the free-throw line a lot and converts at a high clip
  * Work ethic
  * Good shot blocker

Weaknesses:

  * Needs to get bigger and stronger
  * What's his position?
 

NBA projection:
The clue came this season. Johnson hadn't made a three-pointer in his first three seasons and had attempted only nine of them. This year, he cranked up 51 and made 15 (.294). Not a great percentage, but given Johnson's work ethic, it stands to get better. If it does, and Johnson can play the three and the four occasionally, his stock rises.

2010-11 Season:
Johnson had a breakout season, earning consensus All-American honors and becoming only the third player in Big Ten history to win Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Also won the Pete Newell National Big Man of the Year Award.

Key statistics:
20.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.6 tpg, 2.3 bpg, 25.4 mpg, .494 FG, .294 3PT, .809 FT

Cool statistic:
Johnson was the first Purdue player to lead the Big Ten in scoring in league games only (20.7 ppg) since Glenn Robinson in 1994, and the first to lead the conference in scoring in all games since Willie Deane in 2002.

Reminds me of:
Hakim Warrick

What Insiders Say:
Purdue assistant coach Jack Owens
"He's an unbelievable athlete who isn't afraid to work to get better. With his work ethic, his ceiling is off the charts. He's just going to get better and better."

What Outsiders Say:
VCU coach Shaka Smart
"Johnson is a versatile player. He can step out on the floor, make jumpers, put it down on the floor [and is] dangerous on the offensive glass."

Saint Peter's coach John Dunne
"Johnson's tremendous. I mean, you can throw three guys at him, and he can take his little fadeaway and knock it down. Watching the Indiana game, they played a lot of zone, and then they ran doubles at him, and he was hitting jump hooks and right-shoulder turnaround shots with Big Ten big bodies running at him."

Chris Dortch is the editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.

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