The 2019 NBA Draft is right around the corner and that means 60 young hopefuls will hear their name called and start their NBA journey. One of those prospects is the 23-year-old star forward out of North Carolina, Cameron Johnson. Johnson had an impressive stint at the University of North Carolina before declaring for the NBA Draft. So how will his play translate to the next level? Let’s break it all down below:
2019 NBA Draft Player Profile for Cameron Johnson
College Career
Unlike many of his fellow prospects, Johnson spent a total of five years in college. After high school, Johnson agreed to sign and play for the University of Pittsburgh. He earned very little playing time in his first to seasons only starting one game. In his redshirt sophomore campaign he earned the starting role. He averaged 11.9 points and showcased his ability to shoot from deep. After the season, he decided to transfer to North Carolina. The reasons he cited for transferring were uncertainties in coaching and a losing record.
After transferring to North Carolina, Johnson quickly made his way into the starting lineup. His first season was filled with multiple knee injuries which kept him out for 10 games on the year. He finished the season averaging 12.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on the year. Johnson decided to return to North Carolina for his final season of college basketball. His senior campaign was by far his best season statistically. He finished with 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on the year while showcasing his ability to shoot from range shooting 42 percent on the season. He was named to the first-team All-ACC.
Positives
Johnson is an incredible shooter, especially from beyond the arc. He possesses a limitless range and excels in catch and shoot situations. Over the years he has improved his mid-range game immensely and is now very reliable. At the foul line, he is very consistent and will rarely miss. He works very hard to get open and contribute even when he doesn’t have the ball. He’s a very solid perimeter defender and is able to stick to his man like glue. His rebounding skills are pretty good for a player of his size. He is active on defense and worked hard to rack up steals last season. Overall Johnson is a great shooter from all areas of the court and is a reliable defender.
Negatives
At age 23, he is older than most of the prospects entering this year’s draft. He is an average at best athlete and will struggle against opponents with more athleticism. He needs to be more aggressive in the paint offensively. His shooting from the foul line is incredible, but his lack of aggression hardly gets him there. While he isn’t a bad passer, his passing skills are nothing special. He only averaged 2.4 assists in his final season. Defensively he needs to work harder to contest shots more frequently. Overall he needs to be more aggressive in the paint both offensively and defensively
NBA Player Comparison
The player Cameron Johnson most closely compares to is Utah Jazz Guard/Forward Kyle Korver. Both Johnson and Korver are incredible three-point shooters and it is evident that it is their specialty. Outside of the three-point shooting neither are very bad in any other areas, but don’t excel in them either. Korver was a quality bench player for the majority of his career and that is what Johnson projects to be as well.
NBA Draft Projection
Johnson has a lot of potential to be a good player in the NBA for years to come. Many teams will be interested in his services come draft night. He will likely be a late first round pick and should be selected somewhere in the 24-30 range. Many teams that have a weakness in three-point shooting should definitely be willing to take a chance on him.
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