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STANLEY JOHNSON – 6’6” SMALL FORWARD, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, 19 YEARS OLD
After spending just one year in college, Stanley Johnson has proven that he has the physical strength, size, and talent to play in the NBA. Much of Johnson’s game revolves around his ability to use his power and physicality to either drive to the basket or to prevent opponents from doing the same. Johnson comes into the NBA Draft as a two way player who will be able to contribute on both ends of the floor, and considering that he is just 19 years old, there is still so much room for him to improve his game. Expect him to get selected anywhere from 6th to 11th on draft night.
Offensive Game – Stanley Johnson is a player who relies on his elite strength to create space and get to the rim. He excels at attacking defenders off the dribble, using his power to get all the way to the hoop. He is also very good at slashing to the rim, which is one of the most underrated components of an effective offensive system. One aspect of the NBA game that Johnson should dominate is in transition; when he is ahead of the field with the ball in his hands, there’s no stopping him. As for shooting, Johnson isn’t the type of swingman who will shoot the lights out of the ball, but he isn’t the type of player who defenses will ignore behind the three point line either. Johnson shot an extremely respectable 37% from behind the arc in his lone season at Arizona, proving that he can most definitely become a quality shooter in the NBA. Johnson has all of the tools to become a very physical and effective offensive force at the professional level.
Defensive Game – Johnson enters the draft as one of the best defensive small forward prospects, right up there with Justise Winslow of Duke. There’s nothing this guy can’t do on the defensive end. He pressures the ball as an on-ball defender terrifically, jumps in passing lanes extremely well when guarding someone without the ball, and he is versatile, as he can guard pretty much any position other than centers. Johnson is a very tough and physical defender and comes with a high motor, too. As a player no taller than 6’6”, Johnson figures to be an excellent rebounder with a relentless motive to crash the boards on every shot. Stanley Johnson’s defense is elite.
NBA Potential – While there are still some refinements needed to Johnson’s offensive game, there is no doubt that he will be an exceptional wing defender. Johnson is the type of player who will likely be given the task of guarding the opponent’s best scorer on a nightly basis, and he is more than capable of excelling in this role. He has the potential to become one of the best small forwards in the league as long as he works hard and keeps improving.
NBA Player Comparison – There are so many players that Stanley Johnson resembles, but no current players are as similar to him as Kawhi Leonard. They both entered the league as dominant defenders with physical gifts to go along with a good, but not great, offensive game. In fact, I’d argue that Johnson’s offense is ahead of where Leonard’s was when he came into the NBA. After seeing the Spurs’ emerging star win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2015, don’t be surprised if this University of Arizona product follows suit in a couple of years.
