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Xavier Johnson (basketball)

From Alfawiki
Xavier Johnson
Born (1999-10-14) October 14, 1999 (age 27)
Spotsylvania County, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationBasketball player
Years active2018–present
Known forPlaying for Pittsburgh Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Rip City Remix

Xavier Elijah Johnson (born October 14, 1999) is an American basketball athlete who most recently competed for the Rip City Remix in the NBA G League. His collegiate career included playing for both the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Indiana Hoosiers.

Early life and high school career

Johnson was raised in Spotsylvania County, Virginia before relocating to Woodbridge, Virginia to attend Bishop O'Connell High School. Initially measuring 5'6" in height, he experienced a growth spurt of six inches by his senior year. During his junior season, he secured the starting point guard position at Bishop O'Connell and received second team All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) recognition, averaging 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per contest. As a senior, Johnson earned WCAC Player of the Year honors as well as first-team All-State and first-team All-Metro distinctions from The Washington Post, posting averages of 18.4 points, four rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.

Ranked as the 39th-best point guard prospect by ESPN and designated a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Johnson initially committed to Nebraska, choosing them over offers from Georgetown and Georgia Tech. Following the departure of the assistant coach who had recruited him at Nebraska, Johnson sought release from his National Letter of Intent and ultimately pledged to join the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Pittsburgh

In his freshman year, Johnson led Pittsburgh in scoring with an average of 15.5 points per game alongside 4.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, earning a spot on the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All-Freshman team. He became the first Pitt freshman since 1985 to top the team in scoring and was the only ACC player averaging at least 15 points and 4.5 assists that season.

Before his sophomore campaign (2019–20), Johnson was ranked by CBS Sports as the 75th-best college player and placed 51st among prospects for the 2020 NBA draft by ESPN. A notable performance included scoring 13 points during a crucial Fort Myers TipOff victory over Kansas State, contributing four points in the final ten seconds. On January 18, 2020, he recorded 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists to help Pittsburgh achieve its first season sweep of North Carolina. He completed that season with averages of 11.7 points, 4.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. During his junior year, Johnson posted averages of 14.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per contest.

Indiana

For his fourth collegiate year in the 2021–22 season, Johnson entered the transfer portal and selected Indiana, choosing them over programs such as Baylor, Houston, and Saint Joseph's. Despite Indiana already having two point guards on their roster, new head coach Mike Woodson appointed Johnson as the starting point guard.

Initially, Johnson's "aggressive style and headstrong attitude" somewhat limited his effectiveness.[1] In February, he was suspended along with four other players due to curfew infractions but was reinstated after missing only one game.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Midway through the season, his performance improved significantly, exemplified by an almost flawless shooting display against Maryland where he scored 24 points and converted seven of eight free throw attempts.[1] Johnson attributed this resurgence to coping with his grandfather’s passing and developing strong on-court chemistry with teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis. He concluded the season averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game; his total of 172 assists ranked fifth all-time in Indiana Hoosiers history.

Although he completed four seasons of play, Johnson retained eligibility for the 2022–23 season and received Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition prior to that campaign.[2] Before sustaining a foot injury against Kansas on December 17, 2022—which prematurely ended his season—he averaged 9.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per contest.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Due to this early-season injury, he was granted a waiver allowing him to return for a sixth collegiate year in the 2023–24 season.

Memphis Hustle (2024–2025)

Following the 2024 NBA draft where he was not selected, Johnson initially signed with the Austin Spurs on October 26, 2024. Shortly thereafter, he was traded to the Memphis Hustle. His tenure with the Hustle concluded when he was released on January 10, 2025.

Rip City Remix (2025)

Johnson became a member of the Rip City Remix on January 18, 2025. However, his stint was brief as he was waived just six days later.

Sioux Falls Skyforce (2025–present)

On February 19, 2025, Johnson was picked up by the Sioux Falls Skyforce from the pool of available players.

College

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 | style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh | 33 || 33 || 31.2 || .415 || .352 || .751 || 3.9 || 4.5 || 1.3 || .1 || 15.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20 | style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh | 33 || 32 || 33.2 || .373 || .330 || .761 || 3.7 || 4.9 || 1.8 || .2 || 11.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 | style="text-align:left;"| Pittsburgh | 18 || 16 || 28.6 || .426 || .321 || .787 || 3.4 || 5.7 || 1.3 || .2 || 14.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 34 || 34 || 27.7 || .406 || .383 || .782 || 3.8 || 5.1 || 1.2 || .1 || 12.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 11 || 11 || 25.2 || .415 || .370 || .795 || 3.3 || 4.9 || 1.2 || .0 || 9.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2023–24 | style="text-align:left;"| Indiana | 20 || 13 || 25.6 || .425 || .367 || .688 || 2.6 || 3.8 || .8 || .3 || 7.6 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 149 || 139 || 29.3 || .405 || .350 || .761 || 3.5 || 4.7 || 1.1 || .2 || 12.2


Personal life

On April 3, 2022, Johnson faced arrest in Bloomington, Indiana due to charges of reckless driving and resisting arrest. Reflecting on the incident, he stated, "I honestly thought my career had ended then. Receiving a second chance means a lot to me. While I’m disappointed in myself for what happened, I’m thankful to God for allowing me to return and continue doing what I love." Head coach Mike Woodson responded by revoking Johnson’s driving privileges and commended his personal development: "X has made significant progress... He has positioned himself very well... I appreciate everything X is doing now because he is making the right choices both on and off the court."

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ITH
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named B10Awards
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