Xavier Johnson Reflects on Memories at Indiana, Playing for Mike Woodson After Pacers Workout

Thursday, former Indiana guard Xavier Johnson had a pre-draft workout with the Indiana Pacers. He reflected on his time with the Hoosiers and what he learned from coach Mike Woodson.

Dustin Schutte | Jun 14, 2024

Indiana Hoosiers guard Xavier Johnson celebrates / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

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After dealing with so many highs and lows throughout his college career, former Indiana guard Xavier Johnson is hoping to begin a career at the NBA level. This week, the former Hoosier had a workout with the Indiana Pacers, making his case to land a spot in the league.

Following the workout on Thursday, Johnson reflected on his time at Indiana. He spent three seasons with the Hoosiers, receiving an additional year of eligibility because of an early-season injury during the 2022-23 campaign.

"I'm most proud of just going to IU and being under Coach Woodson," Johnson said. "I think my favorite year was probably my first year (2021-22). There were a whole bunch of ups and downs but we finished out the right way."

Johnson's first season at Indiana was a memorable one. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. Indiana finished the year with a 21-14 record, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign.

The next season, Johnson played in just 11 games, missing most of the 2022-23 year because of an injury suffered against Kansas. He then received an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA, suiting up for the Hoosiers in 2023-24.

This past year, Johnson again battled injuries, but still played in 20 games. He averaged 7.6 points and 2.8 assists. The senior guard also provided a strong presence defensively for IU.

Johnson also talked highly of Indiana coach Mike Woodson during his interview. He said the former NBA coach and current leader of the Hoosiers provided strong leadership and also held the guard accountable during his three seasons in Bloomington.

"Discipline," Johnson said when asked how Woodson helped him most. "Coach was really, really on me every day. He says it a lot in his press conferences as a joke but he really stayed on me as hard as possible every day. That's honestly prepared me because I'm a guy that gets distracted a little bit, but he was a guy that helped me stay on track."

Prior to his transfer to Indiana, Johnson spent three seasons at Pitt. During his three seasons with the Panthers, the guard averaged 13.7 points, 4.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. In total, Johnson averaged 12.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds per contest at Pitt and Indiana.

As far as Johnson's workout with the Pacers? He believes thinks went well while in Indianapolis.

"I think it went pretty well," he said. "It kinda got slow a little bit when players got tired. In the NBA, you've gotta be really well conditioned."

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