Bear Down Wildcats

3goggles wrote:Where do you think Johnson will end up being drafted?

Houston 42nd overall

Houston rockets pull the trigger

NYCat wrote:

3goggles wrote:Where do you think Johnson will end up being drafted?

Houston 42nd overall

GOOD GUESS.... LOL

Good for Nick, one of my favorite Wildcats to roll through the program. Good luck to him.

Hopefully both represent Arizona in the league for a long time.

Awesome to see Nick get drafted there.

Here's wishing him the best.

Chad Ford's draft grade for Orlando:

ORLANDO MAGIC | GRADE: A-

Round 1: Aaron Gordon (4), Elfrid Payton (10)

Round 2: Roy Devyn Marble (56)

Analysis: Well, I guess we know that GM Rob Hennigan likes -- for the second year in a row he drafted super-athletic, defensive-minded players. Adding Gordon and Payton with Oladipo gives the Magic three versatile defenders who can lock up anyone. I love the potential of both players. If Gordon ever develops a jump shot he could be a superstar. Ditto for Payton. They do just about everything else well (though they both could get stronger). But where is the offense coming from? With Arron Afflalo gone and Jameer Nelson likely to be bought out they're left with Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic. But the Magic don't have to have everything figured out now. They are being patient. I personally think that Dante Exum was a better choice at 4. But getting Payton at 10 lessens my objection. I understand why the Magic felt they needed to add a forward first and Payton was my sleeper in the draft. Marble is a no-nonsense forward who does everything well and nothing great. Sort of like their second rounder last year.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft201 ... fresh=true

Congrats to AG and Nick!

As a Celtics fan, In my head I was convinced they were going to land AG at pick 6. Once Embiid went at 3 i figured Exum was going to Orlando and I was moderately concerned about Utah but thought they were going after Vonleh. My heart sank when They called his name, that feeling of having your heart ripped out of your chest. Ruined the night for me, though Nicks name being called was great.

Apparently, the Jazz were really high on Gordon too and would have picked him at 5 had orlando picked exum, so i can only be mad at Ainge for not moving up

More respect for Arizona basketball


"The Rockets seemingly have an affinity for Arizona players. They've had Kevin Parrom and Kyle Fogg on their D-League squad, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Lute Olson's grandson, Matt Brase, is the director of player development in Houston, so it makes sense the Rockets have their eyes on Wildcats."



http://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball ... ic-rockets


Magic news conference:

http://www.nba.com/magic/draftcentral

Houston is a perfect situation for Nick. He should get every possible chance to succeed there.

salim'sheadband wrote:Houston is a perfect situation for Nick. He should get every possible chance to succeed there.

They seem to value intangibles and people who contribute over potential. They had Chuck Hayes playing for a while, and he had zero star potential. Nick's star potential is limited b/c of his height, but his intangibles, D, and grasp of the team concept are very good. He'll have a much better shot in Houston than most places.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

salim'sheadband wrote:Houston is a perfect situation for Nick. He should get every possible chance to succeed there.

They seem to value intangibles and people who contribute over potential. They had Chuck Hayes playing for a while, and he had zero star potential. Nick's star potential is limited b/c of his height, but his intangibles, D, and grasp of the team concept are very good. He'll have a much better shot in Houston than most places.

That, and they actually value their second-round picks, but mostly because he gets to play off the ball with Harden where he wouldn't get to most places.

Houston high on ex-Wildcat Johnson



6 hours ago • By Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star

Rockets Roster

Nick Johnson will face an uphill battle for playing time as he begins his NBA career with a Houston Rockets squad that is relatively deep at the guard position, including former ASU standout James Harden.


As the Houston Rockets’ director of player development, Matt Brase says draft night decisions don’t come through him.

The former Arizona Wildcats player and assistant coach works with guys who are there, not those who might be.

But when it came to the Rockets’ No. 42 pick on Thursday, his input was unavoidable. The organization knew exactly where he stood on Nick Johnson.

“I always talk about Arizona to all our scouts,” Brase said. “Nick came in here, had a good workout, and I’ve always been high on him.”

http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/ ... a3f2b.html

Nick is hoopin right now in the Summer league

Main Event wrote:Nick is hoopin right now in the Summer league

http://www.tv-link.in/nbatv1.php

Best player on the floor in the first half. Ran point most of the second quarter and looked very confident which can't be said about Carson.

Then Nice delivers a left hand flush. He is abusing Siva

[youtube]PEb0lr-0A0I[/youtube]

Main Event wrote:[youtube]PEb0lr-0A0I[/youtube]

A little better quality.

https://vine.co/v/MU0d0H17iwW

18 points for nick, 7 for gordon on 3-11 shooting

CBS chimes in.


http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... -mcdaniels

Aaron Gordon is a ridiculous athlete. He runs the floor hard, can jump like crazy and has great timing on defense. He's often compared to Shawn Marion because he might be able to guard point guards and power forwards at the next level. At summer league, the Orlando Magic rookie didn't waste any time showing what he can do, grabbing K.J. McDaniels' shot attempt with two hands:


http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... -ohlbrecht

The best dunk of summer league might have happened on its first day. In the third quarter of Saturday's game between the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic, guard Nick Johnson drove to the basket and, well, dunked all over Tim Ohlbrecht's soul.

Go Nick!!

Ex-Wildcat Johnson off to flying start in summer league


5 hours ago • By Greg Auman Special to the Arizona Daily Star


ORLANDO, Fla. — If there were still any NBA-level doubts about former Arizona guard Nick Johnson’s ridiculous leaping ability, they likely ended midway through the third quarter of his first NBA Summer League game with the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Johnson, already turning in a promising debut, drove to the basket from the left side, took off and pulled off a high-flying, left-handed dunk on a 6-foot-10 Pistons center that quickly went viral.

That play, as part of an 18-point game in a team-high 30 minutes, left a curiosity for just how much the second-round pick — taken with 42nd pick overall — can elevate himself this week.

“It was fun,” said Johnson, who went 7 for 14 from the field with a pair of three-pointers, five rebounds and three assists at Amway Center. “Coming in here, I was really excited. I get to showcase my talents and prove some people wrong.”

NBA second-round picks don’t have guaranteed contracts — disappoint, and you’re playing in the NBA Development League or overseas — so they’re often the hungriest, most motivated players in summer league, where everyone but the highest draft picks is trying to show they belong on an NBA roster.

“I don’t feel like there were that many people better than me in this draft,” said the 21-year-old, who was the Pac-12 Player of the Year as a junior at Arizona. “I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life, so it doesn’t stop now.”

Houston has found success in the second round before, including the team’s No. 3 scorer last season, forward Chandler Parsons. After just one game, a headline in Sunday’s Houston Chronicle said the Rockets may have found “more 2nd-round gold.”

Johnson will wear No. 3 with the Rockets — the same No. 3 his uncle Dennis wore with the Celtics in the final seven years of a Hall of Fame career, playing alongside Rockets coach Kevin McHale.

On Saturday, Johnson had familiar faces around him in Orlando — teammate Aaron Gordon, the draft’s No. 4 overall pick, is here with the host Magic, and the two have hung out in the players’ hotel. Former Arizona State guard Jahii Carson, who went undrafted after his sophomore year, is also on the Rockets team, and he had six points, four assists and two steals Saturday.

Johnson has another four games in Orlando to leave a strong first impression with his new team — on Monday afternoon, he’ll go up against Gordon and the Magic. His path to sticking on an NBA roster is a simple one: keep the drive of a second-round pick, while showing why that chip didn’t need to be on his shoulder in the first place.

“I just need to come in and work,” he said. “I believe they see that I can play defense, use my athleticism and I want to showcase that, showcase that I’m a complete player that can play the 1 (point guard) and the 2 (shooting guard). It’s just going out there and working.”


http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/ ... 05e9c.html


probably already posted somewhere, but pretty cool...


Yes, it's just one game -- in the summer league, no less -- but NBA TV analyst Isiah Thomas (the Hall of Famer) was impressed. "They have a real player, a real find," Thomas said of Johnson during the telecast. "And I don't think we're watching a one-time thing. Some players come to the summer league and they get hot, but when you go back and you watch what he did in college, this is Nick Johnson. He's a baller."

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/c ... /12253445/

HiCat wrote:Yes, it's just one game -- in the summer league, no less -- but [b]NBA TV analyst Isiah Thomas (the Hall of Famer) was impressed. "They have a real player, a real find," Thomas said of Johnson during the telecast. "And I don't think we're watching a on[/b]e-time thing. Some players come to the summer league and they get hot, but when you go back and you watch what he did in college, this is Nick Johnson. He's a baller."

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/c ... /12253445/

ohhhhh boy....that could be considered the kiss of death, everything Isiah Thomas touches turns to shit

dcZONAfan wrote:

HiCat wrote:Yes, it's just one game -- in the summer league, no less -- but [b]NBA TV analyst Isiah Thomas (the Hall of Famer) was impressed. "They have a real player, a real find," Thomas said of Johnson during the telecast. "And I don't think we're watching a on[/b]e-time thing. Some players come to the summer league and they get hot, but when you go back and you watch what he did in college, this is Nick Johnson. He's a baller."

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/c ... /12253445/

ohhhhh boy....that could be considered the kiss of death, everything Isiah Thomas touches turns to shit

That's funny. That was my first reaction too. Too bad Isiah doesn't still run the Knicks, or he'd have stopped the game after the dunk to offer Nick 13 million a year over 8 years guaranteed.

Three fouls called on Nick in two minutes of gameplay according to a box score

Gordon and NJ leading each of their teams in scoring at the half. Solid.

scumdevils86 wrote:Three fouls called on Nick in two minutes of gameplay according to a box score

So what you're saying is Pac-12 ball was a glimpse of League play.

This is fun to watch.

AG and NJ (as well as Solo) may make me care about the NBA again.

Aaron has 9 and 7 in 17 minutes. That's a classic AG stat line right there. Making things happen right and left.

Frye and Gordan together... Did we all just become Magic fans?

elriop20 wrote:Frye and Gordan together... Did we all just become Magic fans?

It's pronounced Gor-dawn.

elriop20 wrote:Frye and Gordan together... Did we all just become Magic fans?

frye went to the magic?

Post game:

[youtube]D5oxLr13O6w[/youtube]

Hopefully Frye can help AG with his free throw shooting . .. (1/5 does not cut it.)

AG's form from the line seems much smoother with no hitch like in college.

ASUHATER! wrote:frye went to the magic?

Yup, for 4 years, 32 mil.

Nick Johnson is looking like a 1st round pick. Kid is a baller enough said.

They are beginning to love their Nick in Houston ......


Johnson's Big Night Can't Stop Summer Skid
Jul 10, 2014

Nick Johnson delivered his latest sparkling summer league showing, but it still wasn’t enough to carry the Rockets to their first win of the Orlando event. Johnson put on a show, finishing with a game-high 22 points, six rebounds and six assists as Houston fell in its fourth straight contest, dropping an 88-74 decision to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis owned the second half, despite the best efforts of Johnson. The 2014 Pac-12 player of the year was everywhere, swishing tough floaters and long-range bombs on one end while soaring through the air to swat shots and snag rebounds at the other. But his one-man show proved to be no match for the balanced attack of the Grizzlies. Memphis reestablished its lead in the third quarter and then used a powerful finishing kick to put the Rockets away in the final frame.




http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/johnson ... ummer-skid

What's up, GOAZCATS.com, I mean, Co-op friends! So good to be back in the comfy confines of fellow Cats fans. Let's get down to business.

Like, you know, NJ throwing down triple-doubles in summer league games. Only took 27 minutes to do it too!

15 pts (6/11 from the field, 1/3 from 3-pt line, 2/2 from the line), 10 boards, 10 assists.

Oh, and he threw down this --> http://www.nba.com/video/games/nets/201 ... play2.nba/

Great debut so far this summer for Nick! Love it!

I would say Nick has a better than average chance of making the team...

I might actually watch NBA basketball again. Who would have ever thought?

Frybry02 wrote:I might actually watch NBA basketball again. Who would have ever thought?

For reals..

Same here.

WTG NJ! Making me a believer in the NBA again if he signs.

NJ has 7 points 3 rebounds 1 assist and no turnover in the game today. Decent that Isaiah Cannan kid is black hole like Carson.

And he just had a nice put back dunk!