Amir Johnson didn’t have to play Friday in Delaware.
And he certainly didn’t have to drive there himself.
But the 14-year veteran did both, because he wanted to.
That’s just the type of pro he is, or, probably putting it better, the type of person he is.
It had been nearly a month since Johnson, in his second season with the 76ers, had gotten run in an actual game. He felt the timing was right to do what he could to stay fresh, especially with the club thin up front at the moment, due to Joel Embiid missing the past two games with knee soreness.
So, Johnson floated the idea of joining the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ G League affiliate, for a night.
That night was Friday, when the Coats hosted the Maine Red Claws (Boston Celtics) at the brand new 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington.
Ironically enough, the promotion that evening was 76ers Night, which brought out several familiar faces, including Johnson’s head coach.
About 15 hours later, Johnson was back with the Sixers for Saturday’s home game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He ended up subbing in early in the third quarter - his first appearance with the Sixers since January 26th in Denver.
It was the afternoon's feel-good subplot.
Last season, his first with the Sixers, Johnson averaged 15.8 minutes per game. This year, with rookie Jonah Bolden and now Boban Marjanovic in the mix, the minutes have been less frequent.
Talking about his role a few weeks ago, Johnson summed up his mindset by saying the following:
Johnson’s actions are backing up his words.
“He’s been a pro,” said Brown. “He’s a good human being, and a tremendous person.
Brown said he thought Johnson played well for the Blue Coats, too.
The 31-year old started in Delaware’s loss, and finished with 15 points (7-12 fg), seven rebounds, and a plus-10 rating.