Omari Johnson – 2018-19 G-League Player Profile

June 20th, 2019

Omari Johnson

PF – 6’9, 220lbs – Born 26th May 1989

   Fort Wayne Mad Ants   

Johnson finished last season in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, having been called up right at season’s end from their affiliate, the Hustle. In order to obtain his G-League rights, then, the Mad Ants traded the returning player rights to both Jarrod Uthoff and Chris Fowler, as the training camp contract he subsequently signed with the Indiana Pacers was not enough to get his G-League rights. (Returning player rights trump allocated player rights.)

Johnson made it into the NBA proper with the Grizzlies last year after so many years on the fringes largely on account of his much-developed three-point stroke, which last year saw a high volume of shots returned at a high efficiency. Combined with his physical profile – a lengthy 6’9 with good athleticism – and that seemed to be exactly what the NBA was looking for.

As can be see in these statistics, however, that shooting did not sustain. To be sure, Johnson is still a good outside shooter, yet with each passing year, the outside shot becomes a bigger part of his game, so it is imperative that he makes a lot of them. Johnson very rarely handles the ball or takes anyone down low, and only really defends other face-up forwards such as himself, therefore needing to hit perimeter shots to have an overall positive impact on the game. He did this, but not enough to make himself a candidate at the next level up like he did last season.

There are many players in similar frames to Johnson coming to the G-League, casting up outside jumpers, hoping to get noticed. Last year, on account of his efficiency and reputation, Johnson stood out from the pack. But this year, as he hit his 30s, hit fewer shots and did less cutting/crashing of the offensive glass than before, he didn’t.

– 20th June, 2019

• This above is extracted from the following page in the The Basketball Manifesto, an entirely free 3,775 page, 1.2 million word-ish basketball reference book which contains reviews, strategies, ideas, opinions, and a whole lot of scouting on men’s world basketball.

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