A.J. Johnson
Updated on 7/2/24. Written by Alan Lu.
2024 rankings were finalized on 6/25/24.
Height: 6-4
Weight: 165
Country: USA (Fresno, CA)
Professional Team: Illawarra
Classification: Non-College Draft Prospect
Birthdate: 12/1/2004
2024 Top 100 Prospect Rank: 48
Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round
2024 NBA Draft: Round 1, Pick 23 by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pros:
Decent scorer off the dribble
Excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays
Adequate playmaker
Decent defender that can get steals
Very good athlete
Cons:
Needs to improve his shooting
Can display spotty shot selection
Tendency to over-dribble, which can lead to turnovers
Can play too wildly on offense
Can have lapses defensively
Summary:
A.J. Johnson is a very athletic, energetic combo guard that played for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s NBL this past season. He is a gifted scorer on the break, and he can throw down highlight reel dunks with authority. He’ll need to improve his jump shot and shot selection, and he struggled in the limited playing time he received this year, but Johnson was able to turn in strong performances at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine when he was able to receive some extended playing time. Johnson is a skilled playmaker whose size, athleticism, and upside could enable him to be a second round pick in the 2024 draft.
Links:
RealGM Profile
NBADraft.Net Profile
Wikipedia Page
247Sports’ Basketball Profile
ESPN’s Article on Johnson Joining the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s NBL
Games Scouted:
1/7/23 Southern California Academy vs. Balboa High
9/22/23 Illawarra vs. Cairns
5/14/24 2024 NBA Draft Combine Scrimmage Game
If you use any portion of this material, please credit NBA Scouting Live.