Armon Johnson: A Great Court Leader
With Andre Miller and Jerryd Bayless on their roster, the Portland Trail Blazers drafted yet another point guard in the 2010 NBA Draft. The Blazers selected Armon Johnson but some critics said that it was still a good pick because they have drafted a great court leader in the second round.
The athletic 6'3" combo guard posted an impressive average of 15.7 points and 5.6 assists per game in his last NCAA season for Nevada. Johnson can play the point and shooting guard position very well because of his outstanding quickness and strength. His frame intrigued a lot of coaches and scouts before the draft but he left questions as to whether he is a point guard or a shooting guard.
The best part of his game is his terrific offensive ability. He has a very fluid stroke and a great release when shooting the ball. He also has a good jump shot and can shoot well off the dribble. Having that very fluid release makes Johnson a scoring threat on the wing. His aggressiveness and quick first step makes him hard to defend when he is attacking the basket. He is a tough cookie to crack and he's not afraid to challenge bigger defenders. Johnson usually draws foul because he finishes hard inside.
The Blazers can utilize Armon Johnson in the point guard position for he possesses outstanding passing skills and control of the ball. He can create a lot of scoring opportunities for his team mates. With the Blazers, Johnson's drive and kick will complement team mates like Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez, who are both great shooters.
Johnson plays a very fundamentally sound defence against his opponent and he doesn’t gamble on the ball too much. He is a pesky defender but will never give out many steals in a game. Given the body that he has and his superb athleticism, Johnson will be able to hold off any of the opposing guards that he will be facing next season.
What Armon Johnson needs to work on is his range. He is definitely not a three point threat for now but in time, Johnson can become one of the greatest three-point threats in the league. Johnson is a good pull-up shooter but he’s not a catch-and-shoot guy. We will see him excel mostly on half court sets but he needs to step up his game on the up-tempo style of basketball. He may be a good passer, but he needs to improve his decision making on the open court.
On the defensive side of the floor, Johnson has had struggles. Yes he is a good defender, but when he is on isolation plays, he tends to be behind the step of his opponents. Johnson can keep his defence up, but not long enough to prevent the offensive player from scoring. He needs to improve his reflexes and learn to read the changes in his opponent’s direction to be more assertive on defence.
Some have compared Johnson to one of his fellow Trail Blazer point guards Jerryd Bayless. Both have the explosiveness which will give their team a boost off the bench. There are talks that a trade is in the works but if they give him the chance to play for their team, he can be a good back-court guy alongside Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez. What the Portland Trail Blazers need is a wing man, thus if Johnson can extend his range and his catch-and-shoot release, he will be a vital part of Portland’s offence. If he develops a healthy mentality every game, he will definitely be in a Blazers uniform for a long period of time.
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