Melvin Johnson III
Melvin Johnson III | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 20, 1990 United States |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Known for | Playing for Yakima SunKings, UTSA Roadrunners, Arkansas State Red Wolves |
Melvin Johnson III (born May 20, 1990) is a professional basketball athlete from the United States currently competing with the Yakima SunKings in the North American Premier Basketball. His collegiate basketball tenure included playing for both UTSA and Arkansas State.
High school career
Johnson's high school years were spent at Christian Life Center Academy in Humble, Texas, where he was coached by Carlos Wilson. During his senior year, he posted averages of 23.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, guiding his squad to win the 2009 National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) Boys Elite Division I National Basketball Championship. He also secured a spot on the NACA All-Tournament Team.
College career
While at UTSA, Johnson was honored as the Southland Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.7 points and shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc during his first season. His sophomore campaign saw an improvement to 14.9 points per game, earning him an All-Southland Honorable Mention. In his junior year, he averaged 13.1 points and received third-team All-Southland accolades.
In June 2012, Johnson transferred to Arkansas State University but was required to redshirt the 2012–13 season in compliance with NCAA transfer regulations. As a senior, he delivered averages of 15.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest while shooting an impressive 47.8% from three-point range, which led to third-team All-Sun Belt recognition.
2014–15 season
Johnson was chosen by the Santa Cruz Warriors as the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Development League Draft on November 1, 2014, then promptly traded to the Delaware 87ers. On January 21, 2015, he was traded to the Reno Bighorns in exchange for Joonas Caven. Over the course of the season, he appeared in 37 D-League games—21 with Delaware and 16 with Reno—averaging 9.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
2015–16 season
On October 31, 2015, Johnson was selected in the third round of the 2015 NBA Development League Draft by newly established team Raptors 905. He made his debut on November 14, contributing 12 points in an 83–80 defeat against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Johnson was traded to the Texas Legends on March 4, 2016, in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in that year's draft. He made his first appearance for Texas Legends on March 5, scoring nine points and grabbing three rebounds off the bench but was waived shortly after on March 10.
Subsequently, Johnson signed with the Maine Red Claws on March 16 but participated in only one game before being released on March 29. Three days later, he joined the Grand Rapids Drive, debuting on April 2 with an effort of eleven points and three rebounds during a close loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Personal life
Son of Melvin Jr. and Latricia Johnson, Melvin Johnson III has two sisters and pursued a major in business administration during his college years.