James Johnson Comparison???

[cool007]

I have been trying to say this but without many people watching his games, it would be really hard for many people to believe me but I am still going to go ahead and say it anyway. I want to see if anybody share the same thoughts???

Every time I see James Johnson (even in college) play, I see a young Paul Pierce. I know JJ is a little bigger than Pierce but the skills are so similar. I just wanted to open the thread to see how JJ progresses over the year and on to the 2nd year and beyond.

FWIW: Piecer entered the NBA in 1998-99 season as a 21 year old rookie. He made that BIG JUMP in his 3rd year and since then he has been viewed as an All-Star.

His 1st year stats were:
-------------------------------------
34mpg 16.5ppg 6.4rpg 2.4apg 1.7spg 1bpg (career high) 2.35 TOPG (Career Best) 44% fg 41% 3pt (Career Best) 71% (Career worst %).

Can James Johnson produce that if he was getting 34mpg???

I am surprised on couple of things though, his BPG, TOPG, 3pt %, were his CAREER'S BEST as a ROOKIE. but since then it's been down every year. That's usually doesn't happen with Star players, they usually go up.

Anybody else see their games as very similar???

Next time watch closely.

 

[ryguy24]

Yep. I've been saying Pierce since before we drafted him. Obviously some differences, but more similiarities.

 

[Chitown773]

The only thing about James Johnson I want to see him develop is that killer instinct. It's almost ironic how his personality doesn't fit his capabilities; other players in the league have the total opposite case, they're usually tough but don't have the capabilities that James Johnson has physically. I see the same thing with Dwight Howard; he's soft but physically will make you suffer. James must use that bruising body and drop the cake approach. I liked the hard foul on Milsap lol.

--R.I.P.-- Derrion

 

[houheffna]

I think that is a bit overly optimistic, comparing a mid first round pick in a sucky draft to a top 10 NBA player is not a good idea...

 

[mlewinth]

houheffna wrote:

I think that is a bit overly optimistic, comparingThen this will remain a mystery. Your sense of humor sucks you r not worth it! Don't be offendedThen this will remain a mystery. Your sense of humor sucks you r not worth it! Don't be offended a mid first round pick in a sucky draft to a top 10 NBA player is not a good idea...

Wow talk about optimism!! Do I think your nuts in making that comparison? Oh absolutly! Do I hope your right? Definantly! Will I say your psychic if your right? Yea! Like Houheffna said, Johnsons a mid first round pick, who has had a nice preseason game. But hey, go JAMES!

 

[houheffna]

believe me, I would love to call this man Truth Deuce! Gar would love that too. Have a feeling that that might not be the case. I will say this, he is a big man that has the type of game that Tyrus desperately wants...

 

[Diddy1122]

houheffna wrote:

believe me, I would love to call this man Truth Deuce! Gar would love that too. Have a feeling that that might not be the case. I will say this, he is a big man that has the type of game that Tyrus desperately wants...

Agreed. While I'd love to compare this kid to one of my favorite NBA players, I can't do it. Johnson I would say reminds me more of a poor man's Jamal Mashburn, hopefully with out all the injury problems.

 

[JimmyBulls]

Melo and Pierce are guys that can make a living playing on the perimeter. I don't see Johnson being that type of player.

I think JJ's skills remind me a lot of David West from the Hornets. Both guys like to play off their jumpshots, and have the quickness to get by opposing power forwards. West and JJ can even knockdown that three point shot, but it's not somewhere they should play for the majority of their offensive sttack. At best, I think JJ is a guy that can do some great things in the high, mid, and sometimes low post. His mid range game should be the highlight of his attack, and then he could work his other skills into the flow of the game as defenses dictate.

I think people might make the mistake to think West is a bruiser, but he's not, there is a lot of skill and finesse to his game.

 

[jsain360]

mlewinth wrote:

houheffna wrote:

I think that is a bit overly optimistic, comparingThen this will remain a mystery. Your sense of humor sucks you r not worth it! Don't be offendedThen this will remain a mystery. Your sense of humor sucks you r not worth it! Don't be offended a mid first round pick in a sucky draft to a top 10 NBA player is not a good idea...

Wow talk about optimism!! Do I think your nuts in making that comparison? Oh absolutly! Do I hope your right? Definantly! Will I say your psychic if your right? Yea! Like Houheffna said, Johnsons a mid first round pick, who has had a nice preseason game. But hey, go JAMES!

James Johnson I need to see more, what I've seen I've liked, he is apart of a sucky draft class, so was Micheal Redd and he was the 43rd pick back in 2000, we just have to see how he develops

 

[pinkizdead]

if he wants to be a 3, he needs to increase his speed

 

[houheffna]

I agree, he has the range on his shot, but his speed basket to basket, off the dribble, and his footwork defensively would have to improve. I really think Deng has nothing to worry about...

When I see Taj Gibson, I see a liiiiiiiiiiiitle bit of Joe Smith...just throwing that out there....

 

[pinkizdead]

he's a solid role player for the next couple years.

 

[houheffna]

You only think he is going to have a two or three year career?

 

[reignman]

What destinguishes him from typical PFs is the ability to blow by defenders using fakes and crossover dribblings. Heard he's a bit too slow to defend the 3 on the wing though. We'll see. He's no point forward, but in some aspects he looks like a poor man's Grant Hill.

 

[RC_Skinny22]

Looks like someone thought about this before, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qFQtYqENKQ

 

[dougthonus]

I'm not sure who a good comparison would be, but I don't think he's Paul Pierce. The problem is that he's way bigger than Pierce, and it's unlikely he'll ever have the quickness to attack from the perimeter the way Pierce does.

That's not necessarily bad, Pierce will never have the size and strength of James Johnson either. They're just different players. The biggest question for Johnson to me will be whether he can develop his jump shot to become a legitimate three point threat.

I think he has a good chance of doing so, because he has nice form and excellent arc when he shoots. Players who shoot with a lot of arc and have good form tend to improve more. On the other hand, he is 22, and for his age, his jumper is pretty so-so.

I don't think there's a player in the league that reminds me of James Johnson. I either have to add "with better ball handling" or "with worse shooting" to every guy I can think of, and really none of the guys are remotely his size size.

 

[pinkizdead]

karl malone's body with luke walton's skills.

 

[theCHI_Life84]

watching that video, and seeing him play in red, hes pretty quick on the fast break imo. seemed to make some good decisions while at wake. but then again, that was a "highlight" video.

 

[theCHI_Life84]

would he be comparable to gerald wallace? just a thought...

how bout michael beasley? they both have good size, relatively quick for their size (but need to be quicker to play the 3), both have the nice shooting touch. both are 3-4 tweeners that are pretty decent inside and out. beasley sounds like a more similar player than wallace actually

 

[pinkizdead]

beasely is better.