The Atlanta Haws have added another shooter to their stable of young marksmen. According to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the team will sign BJ Johnson to a 10-day contract later this week.
The Hawks will sign shooting guard B.J. Johnson to a 10-day contract. Story to come.
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) February 26, 2019
The 6-foot-7, 185-pound Johnson has never before appeared in the NBA. He's spent the entirely of the 2019 season with the G-League's Lakeland Magic, averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals while starting 31 of 38 games. The 23-year-old has made at least three 3-pointers in 13 games this season.
Johnson's 3-point shooting ability is especially encouraging because it's an aspect of his game he barely relied on in college. As a senior at La Salle, the Second Team All-Atlantic 10 selection averaged 20.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, but shot a middling 35.9 percent from beyond the arc on about the same rate of attempts he's notched in the G League.
BJ Johnson began his career at Syracuse before transferring to La Salle after his sophomore season. He immediately established himself as an impact player for the Explorers. In high school, he attended Philadelphia's Lower Merion High School, whose most famous alumnus is Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
The Hawks, still in the early stages of rebuilding mode, have placed a premium on shooting under general manager Travis Schlenk and first-year head coach Lloyd Pierce. Rookies Trae Young — playing like a future star of late — and Kevin Huerter have been playfully compared to the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson for their ability to make it rain from the perimeter.
Atlanta is still looking for cogs on the wing, though, and Johnson's combination of length and reliable shooting range certainly makes him worthy of a look down the season's final stretch.
