NBA Draft Scouting Report: G League Ignite's London Johnson
London Johnson
Guard | G League Ignite
Height: 6'3” | Weight: 175 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 20.04
Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
Last season in the G League, Johnson played last season with the Ignite at 18 years old. Similar to his former teammate Scoot Henderson, he should have a larger role in his second season with the group in the 2023-24 campaign.
Johnson is crafty with the ball in his hands, possesses a good change of pace and is very shifty with effective dribble moves. He can break down his defender in a variety of ways and likes getting to the rim. The young guard can finish with touch, but also has good pop and can elevate to rise above the rim. Johnson finishes well through contact and was able to generate quite a few opportunities at the line last year after converting on a shot in the paint while drawing a foul.
Once Johnson in the paint, he has great footwork and is patient. This allows him to finish with either hand and over defenders to avoid being blocked. When he gets to that third level, he is great at slowing down, keeping his defender on his hip, or even using a euro step for a floater or layup. With that in mind, he’ll need to improve on his efficiency from inside the arc. As good as Johnson looked driving the ball last season, he was inconsistent in his ability to score efficiently.
With that in mind, he was actually decent from beyond the arc last season, shooting roughly 33% from deep. It would be good to see more volume from him this season, which he should have the opportunity to do in an increase role. If Johnson is able to shoot from the perimeter more frequently and also knock it down at a slightly higher rate, it will only open his game up more and keep defenses honest.
Overall on offense it’s all about efficiency for Johnson. He shot below 45% from the field last season, so making the most of every shot this season will be key. He has the upside to be a playmaker, but needs to prove he can be an impactful complimentary piece too. The 6-foot-3 guard has passing upside, but can also be turnover prone. Moving forward, taking better care of the ball and establishing a more attractive assist-to-turnover ratio should be a priority. Another area of improvement for Johnson is rebounding, as he averaged less than two boards per game last season (4.21% rebound rate). The best NBA prospects are able to produce across the board.
Johnson is somewhat thin and needs to get stronger, but has the ability to be a pest on defense. He’s great at jumping passing lanes and can actually get up vertically and block shots well for his size. What he is able to do on defense this season will be a huge swing skill, as NBA teams want players that can get it done on both ends.
The former four-star and top 50 recruit will be playing on arguably the deepest Ignite team in its short history. Future NBA players like Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis, Izan Almansa, Thierry Darlan, Babacar Sane, Dink Pate and Tyler Smith will all be competing for the spotlight while also trying to help the team win. As such, carving out a role early and establishing what he brings to the table will be important.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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