So What Do We Make of James Johnson?
I laid in wait for the hero of Wake’s 70-68 victory over No. 1 Duke Wednesday. James Johnson was late getting out of the locker room because he was getting treatment on a sore leg. A couple of us writers in the throes of a deadline caught him in the corridor just as he stepped out, and were almost immediately joined by a breathless throng.
Thankfully I got to him first, because there was something I wanted him to know. I had been prepared to rip him pretty good in my article, and then he went and won the game. I laughed. He managed a sheepish smile. He knew exactly what I was talking about.
They say that to those much is given, much is expected. But anyone, from a star to the last walk-on on the bench, would be expected while playing in the final minute of a two-point game against the No. 1 team in the country to go after a rebound. Johnson didn’t really go after a rebound off a miss from Jon Scheyer, instead letting it bounce and reaching out to corral it with one hand. Scheyer, who either hustles or sits, honed in on the ball like a heat-seeking-missile tracking a comet, beat Johnson to the prize and moments later Gerald Henderson drilled the jumper (over Johnson) that tied the game.
Not sure of what I had witnessed, I got up from my seat and walked down to the baseline to ask Lenox and Ed Hardin of the Greensboro News and Record if they had seen what I thought I had seen. They were as dumbfounded as me. Inside 20 seconds remaining. Two-point game. No. 1 team in the nation. And Johnson couldn’t be bothered to go after a loose ball.
Then Johnson, as I wrote in my game story, saved face as well as the game by scoring the game-winning layup off a baseline, inbounds pass from L.D. Williams.
None of this is to say that Johnson never hustles. He had just finished contributing 13 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four blocks in 36 minutes, which couldn’t be accomplished without considerable and sustained exertion. And did I say he hit the game-winning shot?
But Johnson, for all his natural talent and ability, has played with a maddening nonchalance in his first season and a half at Wake. He’s never been one to use two hands when one might suffice. The tendency was more pronounced last season, which suggests he recognizes the trait and is working to correct it. And unlike many players who are accused of show-time behavior, he doesn’t come off as a prima donna. He’s polite and cooperative with the media. He reacts well with his teammates and coaches. When he errs, he’s the first to admit it.
“I’m going to apologize to my teammates,’’ he told us in the corridor.
He is in many ways a really impressive young man.
That said, the nonchalant air that at times almost borders on flippant may well cost him and his team before the season is over. It almost cost them both Wednesday night.
And then he hit the game-winning shot.
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By Dan Collins on 01/29/2009 (1:56 pm)
Comments
I’m entering this thread with the benefit of the GA Tech game behind us. If there was a question as to whether the rebound incident in the Duke game was lack of hustle or a mental error, it seems to me the Tech game cleared that up. JJ’s lack of effort allowed a slightly errant inbounds pass to go by him, turning the ball over to the Jackets who then make a game winning shot. JJ should have done whatever was necessary to get control of that pass. Wake was assured of at least ovetime if they only complete an inbounds pass (and they owned the possession arrow as well). As a team they failed to execute the play. And although the pass wasn’t perfect, it could have and should have been controlled. That said, I love JJ as a player and I know he will continue learning and become the great player he has inside him.
Arciel on 02/01/2009 (1:11 pm)
It was definitely a hustle issue, not a “throw before you catch” issue. JJ should have gone to the ball rather than letting the ball come to him. BUT ... I wonder if this is just who JJ is. He seems to be smiling 90% of the time. I suspect he’s just a bit “laid back” in his off-court personality, and that sometimes comes off as a lack of effort during portions of games. He might have to train himself to be more aggressive (on court) than his personality “makes” him. He is competitive, without doubt, but I am not sure he has a nasty streak that motivates him to score every point and grab every rebound.
Rick on 01/30/2009 (2:17 pm)
Bob,
I appreciate hearing your take on the play, and you may be right. Futhermore, if everyone who made a comment agreed with me then this would be a pretty one-sided dialogue. So good for you for calling me out about calling out James. But I also want to make mention that’s the reason I ran up against deadline waiting for James to emerge from the locker room, to get his version. His direct quote was that Scheyer wanted it more and hustled harder. I personally saw it more of a mental lapse than a case of not caring whether his team wins or loses. James cares, or he wouldn’t be as good as he is.
Thanks for the exchange.
Dan on 01/30/2009 (10:08 am)
I’m not ready to attribute the missed rebound to a lack of hustle on JJ’s part. Instead, it looked more like a wide receiver who takes his eyes off the ball just before he catches it to see where he is going next. JJ had his hands in position waiting for the ball and it looked like he turned his head toward the sideline and upcourt slightly as if trying to figure out whether to hold the ball and get fouled, turn quickly and run or find Teague. Calling someone out as not hustling or not giving 100% in key moments is about as a negative a comment as you can make to a player of this caliber as, to me, it implies they don’t care. Taking one’s eyes off a ball or assuming incorrectly they already had the rebound is a mental mistake which, while problematic, doesn’t call the person’s heart into question.
bob on 01/30/2009 (9:10 am)
Dan
Great post. I am glad you caught him in the tunnel. I wonder how the apology would have been heard if they had lost that game in overtime.
One thing. Has Wake ever had this amount of talent before? Aminu is a beautiful basketball player. He held up for two jump shots instead of another charge.
Our leading scorer has a bad night and we beat the #1 team in the country. We blocked and changed more shots since Tim D was out there. This is an exciting team. Ish seems back. Great drive in the lane in the first half.
Very fun.
Steve on 01/30/2009 (12:32 am)
Great article, great thoughts. I’m glad JJ hit the game winning shot and we’re all prone to mental lapses so I’m willing to cut him a break this time. You’re right though, something like this could hurt us come tournament time. We have to focus every second of the game.
Bart on 01/29/2009 (11:41 pm)
When the loose ball came his way and he just stood there, me and my dad yelled so loud that my mom, startled, nearly fell off the couch! He’s definitely a maturing player, so I hope that a commitment to hustle works its way into him as part of this process.
Jon on 01/29/2009 (9:20 pm)
Yes, JJ’s lack of hustle for the rebound was definitely a mental lapse. However, there were a couple other things that bothered me…
Our clock management was absolutely horrible. I could tell Jeff was frustrated because he takes a forced shot with hardly any time taken off the clock with under 3 minutes to go. Then there was the pass to Farouq in the middle of the lane with hardly any time taken off the clock as well.
Jeff did not have his best game. It happens to everybody. What I noticed though was that he did not sprint back on defense if he made a bad play. Maybe he was just frustrated, but that’s something I’m sure Gaudio will show that to him on film.
I sure was glad that Dino had 2 seconds left to draw up a play. Sitting in the stands I told everybody around me that we would at least get a good shot from a play and the play would be something he thought of off the top of his head.
This was more than just beating Duke. Ish looked like the old Ish, Weave and Harv had some solid minutes off the bench, and it showed we can still win even if Jeff has an off game.
Dare to say Dino out coached coach K?
Aaron on 01/29/2009 (5:00 pm)
Dan,
Although JJ did hustle on Henderson’s shot, I too, was bothered by his extreme lack of effort for the rebound on Scheyer’s shot. He could have secured the game with that rebound but waited and did nothing to secure it and was beaten to it.
Yes, he scored the ultimate two points but I hope he realizes that his lack of hustle at a very important point in the game nearly cost the Deacs a game that should have been secured a few ticks earlier if he had just given 100% effort. Surely it’s a mistake that JJ and the whole team can learn from.
Bet we don’t see that on Saturday!
Ken Green on 01/29/2009 (4:17 pm)
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