Future Watch: Cameron Johnson Rookie Basketball Cards, Suns

Future Watch: Cameron Johnson Rookie Basketball Cards, Suns – Cameron Johnson was born in Moon Township, Pennsylvania in 1996. He played high school ball at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Moon Township. As a senior, he averaged 27.8 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game. He elected to attend the University of Pittsburgh after finishing his prep career. Shortly into his first year at Pitt, Johnson suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for the rest of the season. He was allowed to redshirt. In his redshirt freshman season, he played in 32 games, drawing one start. He averaged 4.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game. As a sophomore, he played and started in 33 games for the Panthers with per game averages of 11.9 points, 4.5 boards and 2.3 assists.

Johnson graduated from Pittsburgh with a degree in communications after three years. He took advantage of the graduate transfer rule and moved to the University of North Carolina. Pittsburgh initially refused the transfer to their in-conference rival, but eventually allowed Johnson to transfer. Five days after the Tar Heels season opener in 2017, Johnson had surgery to fix a torn meniscus. He would miss ten games, but still played in 26 with 20 starts. Over 29.3 minutes per game as a redshirt junior, Johnson averaged 12.4 points (third on the team) with 4.7 boards and 2.3 assists.

Johnson continued to improve in his senior season with the Tar Heels. He started in 36 games and averaged 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals over 29.9 minutes. His .457 3P% was most impressive and earned the attention of NBA draft scouts. In a road game against Duke, Johnson finished with 26 points in an 88-72 upset victory of the number one ranked Blue Devils. At the conclusion of conference play, Johnson was named to the All-ACC first team.

UNC made the NCAA Tournament in 2019 as a #1 seed in the Midwest region. In their first-round win over #16 Iona, Johnson led all scorers with 21 points. In their second-round win over #9 Washington, Johnson led all players with seven assists. In their sweet sixteen match-up against #5 Auburn, Johnson scored 15 points and grabbed five boards in a 97-80 loss. After UNC’s elimination from the NCAA Tournament, Johnson announced his intention to enter the NBA Draft with no years of college eligibility left.

Heading into the draft, Cameron Johnson was considered one of the top senior prospects available in the draft. He measured 6’8.5” in shoes with a 6’10” wingspan. His 205-pound frame was considered lean for an NBA prospect, especially for a power forward. Still, he has the size to play power forward in small lineups and his athleticism allows him to guard multiple positions. Johnson’s shooting ability caught the eyes of many evaluators who gave him a mid-to-first round draft projection.

On draft night, Phoenix and Minnesota agreed to a trade that would send the #6 pick to Minnesota with the #11 pick and Dario Saric headed to Phoenix. Because the trade couldn’t be processed until a few weeks after the draft, Phoenix selected Jarrett Culver at #6, and Minnesota took Cameron Johnson at #11. The trade was made official on July 6^th and on that day the Suns announced they had signed Johnson.

Through 21 games this season, Johnson has come off the bench and averaged 9.1 points and three rebounds over 20.0 minutes. Among all rookies, he’s fourth in three-point makes with 42. In an overtime win over the Pelicans on December 5^th, Johnson played 31 minutes, scored 18 points, grabbed six boards and added one assist, block and steal to his final line.

Phoenix is currently the eighth seed in the Western Conference and has a chance to make the playoffs. The team’s rotation has been productive, which should keep Johnson in a bench role for most of the season unless an injury or roster move pushes him into a starting spot. Regardless of role, Johnson has shown he can contribute off the bench with his scoring and athleticism. If he gets more opportunities as a starter, fans outside Phoenix will take notice. Especially if the Suns keep winning.

Look for Cameron Johnson in his UNC Tar Heels uniform in Panini’s 2019 Collegiate Basketball programs including Prizm Draft Picks, Contenders Draft Picks and Flawless Collegiate. As a top-12 pick, you can expect to find Cameron Johnson among all of Panini’s 2019-20 NBA programs including Absolute, Certified, Prizm and many more to come including 2019-20 Contenders.

Future Watch: Cameron Johnson Rookie Basketball Cards, Suns – Stats

Future Watch: Cameron Johnson Rookie Basketball Cards, Suns – More Resources

• NBA.com Player Profile – Cameron Johnson
• Cameron Johnson – Secondary Market Pricing
• Follow Cameron Johnson on Instagram @camjohnson23

Future Watch: Cameron Johnson Rookie Basketball Cards, Suns – Image Gallery

Check out previous NBA Future Watch Articles featuring 2019 Draft Picks below:

• RJ Barrett, Knicks
• Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies
• Jarrett Culver, Timberwolves
• Terence Davis, Raptors
• Darius Garland, Cavaliers
• Rui Hachimura, Wizards
• Jaxson Hayes, Pelicans
• Tyler Herro, Heat
• De’Andre Hunter, Hawks
• Ja Morant, Grizzlies
• Chuma Okeke, Magic
• Eric Paschall, Warriors
• Cam Reddish, Hawks
• PJ Washington, Hornets
• Coby White, Bulls
• Zion Williamson, Pelicans

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James Gale

James Gale lives in Los Angeles, California. He spent the first 30 years of his life living in Wisconsin, and is happy to escape the cold. When it comes to sports, his only Wisconsin ties are to the Milwaukee Brewers. He is an avid Timberwolves and Vikings fan. James earned a degree in Film Studies and Television & Video Production in Milwaukee, WI and has produced numerous videos for television and the web.

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