JaJuan Johnson- The 4 year college player

[CaptainJackLee]

He doesn't possess elite athleticism. If he did, he wouldn't have stayed 4 years in college. His best talent is the spot-up jumpshot that can serve him well in pick'n'pop situations. He's mediocre/average in other parts of the game. I just hope he isn't too much of a liability on the boards. If he can rebound the ball decently, he can become an useful 4th/5th big. Playing behind O'Neal, KG, free-agency acquisition, Jeff Green.

[OsirusCeltics]

When I hear "4 year college player", I like it better than hearing "high school" or "one and done player"

How many years in college doesn't determine how good a player you are going to be, first off. NBA prospects are all on the same boat. Pre-draft greatness is just all hype, have to prove in on the court. A 4 year college player has fundamentals of NBA basketball, which I treasure over all things. When he goes to the NBA, he can add more talent along with fundamentals

I'm really tired of seeing so many so-called "superstars" who lack fundamental basketball skills. Derrick Rose (one and done) and Lebron (high school) always come to mind. Both rely on their flashy athleticism to become effective. Sorry but those skills don't last after the age of 29. And when defenses key on you and the game slows down, you have no basketball skills to fall back on

Don't be so hard on JJ. He's dy-no-mite!

[clover]

Bigs often take longer to develop in both their bodies and their skills.  Triple J seems still to be improving rapidly.  I think he's coming into the league ready to win rotational minutes, which will only further his further progress.

[KGs Knee]

When I hear "4 year college player", I like it better than hearing "high school" or "one and done player"

Well, I'd gladly and confidently put a team of one-and-done and high school players against a team of four year college players any day.

Just look at the League and Finals MVP's from the last 10 years

League MVP: Rose(1 yr coll), James (no coll), James (no coll), Bryant (no coll), Nowitzki (foreign), Nash (4 yr coll), Nash (4 yr coll), Garnett (no coll), Duncan (4 yr coll), Duncan (4 yr coll).  That's 4 (2 players) with 4 years of college, 4 (3 players) with no college, 1 with 1 year of college, and 1 foreign player.  Total 6 to 4 in favor of less than 4 years of college.

Finals MVP: Nowitzki (foreign), Bryant (no coll), Bryant (no coll), Peirce (3 yr coll), Parker (foreign), Wade (2 yr coll), Duncan (4 yr coll), Billups (2 yr coll), Duncan (4 yr coll), O'Neal (3 yr coll).  That's 1 player (twice) with no college, 1 player (twice) with 4 years college, 2 players with 2 years college, 2 players with 3 years college, and 2 players foreign born.  Total 8 to 2 in favor of less than four years of college.

Also, last years ALL-Star game had one player with 4 years of college (Duncan).  High level players just do not stay 4 years anymore.  Most mid level players don't either.

[jayk009]

does anyone think he can be like Paul Millsap?

[RAG50K]

What exactly is his ceiling like?

I'm thinking a more athletic, better defensive Antawn Jamison

[snively]

He doesn't possess elite athleticism. If he did, he wouldn't have stayed 4 years in college. His best talent is the spot-up jumpshot that can serve him well in pick'n'pop situations. He's mediocre/average in other parts of the game. I just hope he isn't too much of a liability on the boards. If he can rebound the ball decently, he can become an useful 4th/5th big. Playing behind O'Neal, KG, free-agency acquisition, Jeff Green.

He may not possess elite athleticism, but his length and mobility give him excellent potential as a team defender, both as an interior help defender and a pick and roll defender.  That combined with his jumper should be enough to make him rotation worthy even without much of a showing on the boards.

I think he came to the right team.  On a lesser team, he'd probably be utilized in a more prominent offensive role, leading him to try to recreate the high usage role he had as a senior.  With Boston, he'll only be able to see the court as an off-ball floor-spreader, and, more importantly, an active and aggressive defender.  If he embraces that role, I think he can develop into a highly-effective two-way role-player in the mold of Udonis Haslem or Taj Gibson.  On a bad team, he'd probably slip into the offense-only orientation of the likes of Channing Frye, Hakim Warrick and Brian Cook (and wash-outs like Jermareo Davidson).

[bfrombleacher]

He doesn't possess elite athleticism. If he did, he wouldn't have stayed 4 years in college. His best talent is the spot-up jumpshot that can serve him well in pick'n'pop situations. He's mediocre/average in other parts of the game. I just hope he isn't too much of a liability on the boards. If he can rebound the ball decently, he can become an useful 4th/5th big. Playing behind O'Neal, KG, free-agency acquisition, Jeff Green.

He may not possess elite athleticism, but his length and mobility give him excellent potential as a team defender, both as an interior help defender and a pick and roll defender.  That combined with his jumper should be enough to make him rotation worthy even without much of a showing on the boards.

I think he came to the right team.  On a lesser team, he'd probably be utilized in a more prominent offensive role, leading him to try to recreate the high usage role he had as a senior.  With Boston, he'll only be able to see the court as an off-ball floor-spreader, and, more importantly, an active and aggressive defender.  If he embraces that role, I think he can develop into a highly-effective two-way role-player in the mold of Udonis Haslem or Taj Gibson.  On a bad team, he'd probably slip into the offense-only orientation of the likes of Channing Frye, Hakim Warrick and Brian Cook (and wash-outs like Jermareo Davidson).

If a 6'10 center/pf with a 38 inch vert isn't considered athletic then I don't know what is.

[Surferdad]

Call me cynical but I tend to agree with the OP.  If the guy is 6'10'' with the enormous wing span, great hops and and soft hands, but then spends four years in school AND lasts to #27 in by all reports an all-time weak NBA draft, then these are not necessarily good signs....

I thought so too, but I was corrected in the front-page blog comments. This draft didn't have any superstars at the top, but it was actually very deep in mid-level role players who can make contributions.
http://www.celticsblog.com/2011/6/24/2241283/ainge-rivers-very-satisfied-with-boilermaker-picks#comments
If you think about it, that really all the C's needed out of their 1st round pick, assuming the 7-8 main rotation players stay pretty much the same as last year.

People are cncerned about JJJ's lack of bulk, but from the looks of it, he has wide shoulders and could take on a lot more muscle.  He has gained weight steadily and did well in the bench-press during the combine.

The more I read and watch, the more excited I am about JJJ.

[Bahku]

He doesn't possess elite athleticism. If he did, he wouldn't have stayed 4 years in college. His best talent is the spot-up jumpshot that can serve him well in pick'n'pop situations. He's mediocre/average in other parts of the game. I just hope he isn't too much of a liability on the boards. If he can rebound the ball decently, he can become an useful 4th/5th big. Playing behind O'Neal, KG, free-agency acquisition, Jeff Green.

Tom Brady was pick #199 in the sixth round ... draft position means very little in todays professional athletes' market, (especially a draft as sparse as this was). I personally love the fact that he's a four-year college player, and feel it's much more of a bonus than a draw-back. I like this kid ... a lot.

[cman88]

guys, why are we looking at this like we are drafting a superstar?

we are looking for roleplayers who can come in and contribute...Jajuan Johnson being a 4 year college player means he has played against high levels of competition for 4 years adn is more ready to contribute than a 2 year or 1 year college player....he's also gotten better each year.

we might not have drafted a "superstar" but thats not what were looking for. and if he can be a contributing roleplayer...we've succeeded

[OsirusCeltics]

When I hear "4 year college player", I like it better than hearing "high school" or "one and done player"

Well, I'd gladly and confidently put a team of one-and-done and high school players against a team of four year college players any day.

Just look at the League and Finals MVP's from the last 10 years

League MVP: Rose(1 yr coll), James (no coll), James (no coll), Bryant (no coll), Nowitzki (foreign), Nash (4 yr coll), Nash (4 yr coll), Garnett (no coll), Duncan (4 yr coll), Duncan (4 yr coll).  That's 4 (2 players) with 4 years of college, 4 (3 players) with no college, 1 with 1 year of college, and 1 foreign player.  Total 6 to 4 in favor of less than 4 years of college.

Finals MVP: Nowitzki (foreign), Bryant (no coll), Bryant (no coll), Peirce (3 yr coll), Parker (foreign), Wade (2 yr coll), Duncan (4 yr coll), Billups (2 yr coll), Duncan (4 yr coll), O'Neal (3 yr coll).  That's 1 player (twice) with no college, 1 player (twice) with 4 years college, 2 players with 2 years college, 2 players with 3 years college, and 2 players foreign born.  Total 8 to 2 in favor of less than four years of college.

Also, last years ALL-Star game had one player with 4 years of college (Duncan).  High level players just do not stay 4 years anymore.  Most mid level players don't either.

Thats funny because most of the players mentioned were not one and done or high school players. Most of them were 2yrs in college or more, which made them more complete players

[CaptainJackLee]

He doesn't possess elite athleticism. If he did, he wouldn't have stayed 4 years in college. His best talent is the spot-up jumpshot that can serve him well in pick'n'pop situations. He's mediocre/average in other parts of the game. I just hope he isn't too much of a liability on the boards. If he can rebound the ball decently, he can become an useful 4th/5th big. Playing behind O'Neal, KG, free-agency acquisition, Jeff Green.

Tom Brady was pick #199 in the sixth round ... draft position means very little in todays professional athletes' market, (especially a draft as sparse as this was). I personally love the fact that he's a four-year college player, and feel it's much more of a bonus than a draw-back. I like this kid ... a lot.

I don't remember that player, but Manu Ginobili was drafted with the 57th pick. I don't care about how many years players spend in college or where they were drafted, players are what they are regardless of that.

My point was merely factual: the OP was intrigued by the fact that a player with the traits JaJuan Johnson is supposed to have didn't leave college earlier. It's a fair point. I was explaining he was wrong about the elite athleticism. If Johnson had elite athleticism, combined with his soft hands, his length and his smarts, he'd have been at least a borderline lottery pick two years ago, regardless of his other flaws because that kind of player is highly sought by NBA teams.

[CaptainJackLee]

He doesn't possess elite athleticism. If he did, he wouldn't have stayed 4 years in college. His best talent is the spot-up jumpshot that can serve him well in pick'n'pop situations. He's mediocre/average in other parts of the game. I just hope he isn't too much of a liability on the boards. If he can rebound the ball decently, he can become an useful 4th/5th big. Playing behind O'Neal, KG, free-agency acquisition, Jeff Green.

He may not possess elite athleticism, but his length and mobility give him excellent potential as a team defender, both as an interior help defender and a pick and roll defender.  That combined with his jumper should be enough to make him rotation worthy even without much of a showing on the boards.

I think he came to the right team.  On a lesser team, he'd probably be utilized in a more prominent offensive role, leading him to try to recreate the high usage role he had as a senior.  With Boston, he'll only be able to see the court as an off-ball floor-spreader, and, more importantly, an active and aggressive defender.  If he embraces that role, I think he can develop into a highly-effective two-way role-player in the mold of Udonis Haslem or Taj Gibson.  On a bad team, he'd probably slip into the offense-only orientation of the likes of Channing Frye, Hakim Warrick and Brian Cook (and wash-outs like Jermareo Davidson).

Hopefully, but JaJuan Johnson never displayed the type of defensive instincts and intensity guys like Haslem and Gibson show (and I don't think he's as quickfooted). Or the toughness, Johnson plays soft.

If I were coaching Johnson, I'd focus on 4 main areas:

• strength/body control/balance training => Weight lifting + core strength training.
• defensive footwork, specifically on pick'n'roll situations.
• face-up game. He needs to be able to put the ball on the floor for 2/3 quick dribbles to get past guys closing out on him out of control and then elevate for a jumper or go all the way to the rim. A guy like Warrick can do this. 
• screening and offensive footwork in pick'n'pop situations. He needs to be tougher as a screener, to get wide and low.

[LooseCannon]

My point was merely factual: the OP was intrigued by the fact that a player with the traits JaJuan Johnson is supposed to have didn't leave college earlier. It's a fair point. I was explaining he was wrong about the elite athleticism. If Johnson had elite athleticism, combined with his soft hands, his length and his smarts, he'd have been at least a borderline lottery pick two years ago, regardless of his other flaws because that kind of player is highly sought by NBA teams.

He was projected as a second-round pick in last year's draft.  He probably showed enough promise that some really good workouts could have pushed him into the late first round, but bad workouts could have left him undrafted.  Despite his athleticism, there have been concerns about his strength.  So, he'd probably be in the same boat as tweener forwards who are uncertain to be able to physically handle the power forward position.  If he had come out as a junior, a comparable talent might have been Tiny Gallon, who came out early and went in the mid-second round.

Plus, there was probably the attraction of returning with Moore and Hummel to form the nucleus of a team that would be a legitimate Final Four contender.  That might have helped the decision of a player unsure of getting a first-round contract.