tlongII
07-14-2010, 09:09 PM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/07/trail_blazers_armon_johnson_ho.html
LAS VEGAS — In a sparsely populated underground gymnasium on an off day, Armon Johnson received both his biggest professional test and biggest professional opportunity as the Trail Blazers played a summer league scrimmage against the Washington Wizards.
The Washington Wizards and No. 1 overall draft pick John Wall, that is.
And by the time the scrimmage concluded Wednesday in an underground practice court at Cox Pavilion, Johnson had held his own against the future superstar, revealing in-your-face defense, aggressive offensive instinct and a physical game. If it was a test for the Blazers’ second-round draft pick in his bid to land a roster spot next season, the consensus is Johnson passed.
“I think (the scrimmage was) a continuation of what we’ve seen in the first two games,” said Mike Born, the Blazers’ director of NBA scouting. “I think he did a good job defending. Obviously he’s showing that he’s strong, athletic. I think his mind set; he’s got a defensive mind set and I think he’s done a good job on the offensive end, too, just being patient on the pick and roll and making good reads. When you’re watching him play, you can see how the things he’s doing will transfer to an NBA game.”
Johnson was active and aggressive from the get-go and it was clear he was not wowed or intimidated at the prospect of facing Wall for the first time. Johnson scored the first basket of the game when he patiently maneuvered around a high screen-and-roll to the right wing and drained a pull-up jumper in open space. Later in the quarter, Johnson drove into the lane past Wall and lofted a tough but pretty one-handed shot.
It was far from a perfect outing for Johnson. He once drove on Wall on the left baseline and forced a shot that clanged off the side of the backboard. Another time he unsuccessfully tried to squeeze a pass into the post that was stolen.
But for every miscue their was a highlight, which elicited a positive vide from Born and Blazers’ director of college scouting Chad Buchanan, who were watching from center court. Perhaps the biggest smile came after Johnson nailed a jump shot from the top of the key with Wall laying on his backside on the floor after he unsuccessfully tried to steal the ball.
“It’s definitely a great opportunity just because you’ve been hearing so much about guys like Wall,” Johnson said. “I hadn’t had a chance to play against him, so I was glad to have the opportunity (for the Blazers to) see what I’m made of, see what I have.”
Johnson and Patty Mills are using summer league competition to show they deserve a spot on the Blazers’ roster next season as a backup point guard and both have excelled through two games. But Mills and fellow second-year players Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph were given the day off and watched Wednesday’s scrimmage from the sidelines, which placed even more pressure on Johnson.
But that, Johnson says, is the precise circumstance under which he thrives. Real pressure? If you ask Johnson, he’d probably say that came his senior year of high school when it appeared he wouldn’t qualify academically for college. Low grades from his early prep years dropped his GPA dangerously low, scaring away high profile colleges that had been heavily recruiting the player who would go on to set the Nevada high school career scoring record.
But Johnson reshifted his focus to his academics and ultimately hit the magic number — a 3.0 GPA throughout his senior year, enough for him to meet NCAA clearinghouse qualifying standards.
“That basically taught me anything’s possible,” Johnson said. “I was told all the time that I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t do it. (They said my) grades are too bad, I won’t qualify. And I got to work. I didn’t let all those things bother me. I always got to work and got the job done. ... That’s why I’m used to these situations (and) adversity.”
Johnson’s passion for basketball started when he watched Michael Jordan as child growing up in a rough neighborhood in Chicago. His mother Camella Riley moved him away from the trouble, however, and relocated them to Reno when he was 11. Johnson threw himself into the game he loved, crying when Riley wouldn’t let him play and spending his junior high lunches shooting in the gym rather than eating in the cafeteria.
Since, he has considered no obstacle too great to overcome. So this week is just another challenge. The Blazers have not given Johnson a guarantee that he will make the team next season, so he plays with purpose and passion every play — whether he’s facing Wall in a scrimmage, Mills in a practice or a random NBA hopeful in a summer league game.
After several summer league practices, one pressure-packed scrimmage and two games, Johnson has consistently displayed a tough, physical and aggressive game. The Blazers acknowledge that his jumper needs to improve and his decision-making as a point guard needs to sharpen. But Johnson is a cut 6-foot-3 and 195-pounds, has a good feel at running the pick and roll, loves to drive to the basket and relishes playing defense — which fits perfectly into the Blazers’ long-term plans.
He didn’t shy away from the challenge of facing Wall Wednesday and he won’t shy away from a similar hurdle down the road should be earn a roster spot.
“That’s his nature,” Born said. “He’s a tough, competitive kid. Obviously he’s going to compete at a high level because it’s John Wall, but I think he’s competed in both of our games and he’s competed in practice. So, again, it’s not like this is an outlier. It’s something that’s been a pattern that’s developed with him and I think he’s continuing to get better ... I’m definitely encouraged with what I’ve seen.”
LAS VEGAS — In a sparsely populated underground gymnasium on an off day, Armon Johnson received both his biggest professional test and biggest professional opportunity as the Trail Blazers played a summer league scrimmage against the Washington Wizards.
The Washington Wizards and No. 1 overall draft pick John Wall, that is.
And by the time the scrimmage concluded Wednesday in an underground practice court at Cox Pavilion, Johnson had held his own against the future superstar, revealing in-your-face defense, aggressive offensive instinct and a physical game. If it was a test for the Blazers’ second-round draft pick in his bid to land a roster spot next season, the consensus is Johnson passed.
“I think (the scrimmage was) a continuation of what we’ve seen in the first two games,” said Mike Born, the Blazers’ director of NBA scouting. “I think he did a good job defending. Obviously he’s showing that he’s strong, athletic. I think his mind set; he’s got a defensive mind set and I think he’s done a good job on the offensive end, too, just being patient on the pick and roll and making good reads. When you’re watching him play, you can see how the things he’s doing will transfer to an NBA game.”
Johnson was active and aggressive from the get-go and it was clear he was not wowed or intimidated at the prospect of facing Wall for the first time. Johnson scored the first basket of the game when he patiently maneuvered around a high screen-and-roll to the right wing and drained a pull-up jumper in open space. Later in the quarter, Johnson drove into the lane past Wall and lofted a tough but pretty one-handed shot.
It was far from a perfect outing for Johnson. He once drove on Wall on the left baseline and forced a shot that clanged off the side of the backboard. Another time he unsuccessfully tried to squeeze a pass into the post that was stolen.
But for every miscue their was a highlight, which elicited a positive vide from Born and Blazers’ director of college scouting Chad Buchanan, who were watching from center court. Perhaps the biggest smile came after Johnson nailed a jump shot from the top of the key with Wall laying on his backside on the floor after he unsuccessfully tried to steal the ball.
“It’s definitely a great opportunity just because you’ve been hearing so much about guys like Wall,” Johnson said. “I hadn’t had a chance to play against him, so I was glad to have the opportunity (for the Blazers to) see what I’m made of, see what I have.”
Johnson and Patty Mills are using summer league competition to show they deserve a spot on the Blazers’ roster next season as a backup point guard and both have excelled through two games. But Mills and fellow second-year players Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph were given the day off and watched Wednesday’s scrimmage from the sidelines, which placed even more pressure on Johnson.
But that, Johnson says, is the precise circumstance under which he thrives. Real pressure? If you ask Johnson, he’d probably say that came his senior year of high school when it appeared he wouldn’t qualify academically for college. Low grades from his early prep years dropped his GPA dangerously low, scaring away high profile colleges that had been heavily recruiting the player who would go on to set the Nevada high school career scoring record.
But Johnson reshifted his focus to his academics and ultimately hit the magic number — a 3.0 GPA throughout his senior year, enough for him to meet NCAA clearinghouse qualifying standards.
“That basically taught me anything’s possible,” Johnson said. “I was told all the time that I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t do it. (They said my) grades are too bad, I won’t qualify. And I got to work. I didn’t let all those things bother me. I always got to work and got the job done. ... That’s why I’m used to these situations (and) adversity.”
Johnson’s passion for basketball started when he watched Michael Jordan as child growing up in a rough neighborhood in Chicago. His mother Camella Riley moved him away from the trouble, however, and relocated them to Reno when he was 11. Johnson threw himself into the game he loved, crying when Riley wouldn’t let him play and spending his junior high lunches shooting in the gym rather than eating in the cafeteria.
Since, he has considered no obstacle too great to overcome. So this week is just another challenge. The Blazers have not given Johnson a guarantee that he will make the team next season, so he plays with purpose and passion every play — whether he’s facing Wall in a scrimmage, Mills in a practice or a random NBA hopeful in a summer league game.
After several summer league practices, one pressure-packed scrimmage and two games, Johnson has consistently displayed a tough, physical and aggressive game. The Blazers acknowledge that his jumper needs to improve and his decision-making as a point guard needs to sharpen. But Johnson is a cut 6-foot-3 and 195-pounds, has a good feel at running the pick and roll, loves to drive to the basket and relishes playing defense — which fits perfectly into the Blazers’ long-term plans.
He didn’t shy away from the challenge of facing Wall Wednesday and he won’t shy away from a similar hurdle down the road should be earn a roster spot.
“That’s his nature,” Born said. “He’s a tough, competitive kid. Obviously he’s going to compete at a high level because it’s John Wall, but I think he’s competed in both of our games and he’s competed in practice. So, again, it’s not like this is an outlier. It’s something that’s been a pattern that’s developed with him and I think he’s continuing to get better ... I’m definitely encouraged with what I’ve seen.”