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University of North Carolina Athletics
Cameron Johnson in action at Late Night With Roy last weekend.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
GoHeels Exclusive: Johnson Fitting In Well
October 18, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers
by Pat James
Cameron Johnson says he doesn't talk about it much.
But his new teammates on the North Carolina men's basketball team don't let him forget what happened Jan. 31, when Johnson, then a Pittsburgh wing, scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers, the most by any opposing player at the Smith Center last season.
They remind him of his performance. And they joke about how it still wasn't enough, as the Tar Heels won 80-78 behind 20 points from Justin Jackson.
"I really don't have much ground to speak on that game with," Johnson said. "They pull up the highlights – of course, it's all North Carolina highlights – and they let that run. It's all of them getting baskets on us and none of us."
But if not for that game, maybe things aren't the way they are now. Maybe Johnson, a graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility, isn't where he's at Tuesday, sitting inside the Smith Center at UNC's preseason media day. Maybe he's not the one expected to help fill the void left by Justin Jackson's departure to the NBA.
At times, Johnson said he wasn't even sure if he'd be in this position.
After graduating from Pitt in three years with a degree in communications, Johnson sought permission to transfer and play basketball at another school. Pitt granted a full release, allowing him to play anywhere this season – except at UNC or any other Atlantic Coast Conference school.
Unlike undergraduates, graduate students are eligible to compete immediately after transferring, according to NCAA rules. But individual schools and conferences have their own rules for graduate transfers.
Pitt initially cited such a policy. But after a few weeks, Johnson ultimately signed his scholarship agreement to attend UNC.
"I trusted coach (Roy) Williams," said Johnson when asked about the transfer process. "He said we could get past this, and he made me feel confident in that decision. Without that confidence, it would have been a lot harder to move forward."
Despite the returns of Joel Berry II, Theo Pinson and Kenny Williams, among other perimeter players, Johnson figures to slide into the opening created by the loss of Jackson, last year's ACC Player of the Year.
Jackson averaged a team-best 18.3 points and set a school record with 105 made 3-pointers last season before being selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Johnson averaged 11.9 points and shot 41.5 percent on 3-pointers last season, which would have led the Tar Heels.
Both players are listed as 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds on the roster. But the similarities between Jackson and Johnson might stop there.
"Justin took his game to another level last year," Berry said. "Justin is just a different player than Cam. Cam is just more of a shooter. Justin could take people off the dribble, get his own shot, had that floater no one could block.
"Cam can shoot the ball. And if we do a great job of getting the ball in the paint and being able to draw in defenders, we know if we kick it out there's a high percentage he's going to make the shot."
Williams hesitated to compare Jackson and Johnson before his team's 12th practice. But he said Johnson's shooting prowess has translated.
"He's a young man who has done a nice job in practice," Williams said. "Last week, one day he didn't miss a shot. Everything he looked at went in. I said, 'Well, that's pretty good. That'll probably help us.'"
Johnson flashed little of that ability during UNC's first few practices. Instead of shooting with the confidence he displayed in January at the Smith Center, he passed on multiple shots. One day, Williams finally stopped practice and questioned Johnson.
The message quickly sank in.
"He got it; he ends up shooting it all the time now," Pinson said. "He's hitting them. You're kicking the ball to shoot it. That's what we got him here for, to shoot the ball and score the ball. He lit us up for (24) here, so we need (him) to do that to other teams."
Cameron Johnson says he doesn't talk about it much.
But his new teammates on the North Carolina men's basketball team don't let him forget what happened Jan. 31, when Johnson, then a Pittsburgh wing, scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers, the most by any opposing player at the Smith Center last season.
They remind him of his performance. And they joke about how it still wasn't enough, as the Tar Heels won 80-78 behind 20 points from Justin Jackson.
"I really don't have much ground to speak on that game with," Johnson said. "They pull up the highlights – of course, it's all North Carolina highlights – and they let that run. It's all of them getting baskets on us and none of us."
But if not for that game, maybe things aren't the way they are now. Maybe Johnson, a graduate transfer with two seasons of eligibility, isn't where he's at Tuesday, sitting inside the Smith Center at UNC's preseason media day. Maybe he's not the one expected to help fill the void left by Justin Jackson's departure to the NBA.
At times, Johnson said he wasn't even sure if he'd be in this position.
After graduating from Pitt in three years with a degree in communications, Johnson sought permission to transfer and play basketball at another school. Pitt granted a full release, allowing him to play anywhere this season – except at UNC or any other Atlantic Coast Conference school.
Unlike undergraduates, graduate students are eligible to compete immediately after transferring, according to NCAA rules. But individual schools and conferences have their own rules for graduate transfers.
Pitt initially cited such a policy. But after a few weeks, Johnson ultimately signed his scholarship agreement to attend UNC.
"I trusted coach (Roy) Williams," said Johnson when asked about the transfer process. "He said we could get past this, and he made me feel confident in that decision. Without that confidence, it would have been a lot harder to move forward."
Despite the returns of Joel Berry II, Theo Pinson and Kenny Williams, among other perimeter players, Johnson figures to slide into the opening created by the loss of Jackson, last year's ACC Player of the Year.
Jackson averaged a team-best 18.3 points and set a school record with 105 made 3-pointers last season before being selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Johnson averaged 11.9 points and shot 41.5 percent on 3-pointers last season, which would have led the Tar Heels.
Both players are listed as 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds on the roster. But the similarities between Jackson and Johnson might stop there.
"Justin took his game to another level last year," Berry said. "Justin is just a different player than Cam. Cam is just more of a shooter. Justin could take people off the dribble, get his own shot, had that floater no one could block.
"Cam can shoot the ball. And if we do a great job of getting the ball in the paint and being able to draw in defenders, we know if we kick it out there's a high percentage he's going to make the shot."
Williams hesitated to compare Jackson and Johnson before his team's 12th practice. But he said Johnson's shooting prowess has translated.
"He's a young man who has done a nice job in practice," Williams said. "Last week, one day he didn't miss a shot. Everything he looked at went in. I said, 'Well, that's pretty good. That'll probably help us.'"
Johnson flashed little of that ability during UNC's first few practices. Instead of shooting with the confidence he displayed in January at the Smith Center, he passed on multiple shots. One day, Williams finally stopped practice and questioned Johnson.
The message quickly sank in.
"He got it; he ends up shooting it all the time now," Pinson said. "He's hitting them. You're kicking the ball to shoot it. That's what we got him here for, to shoot the ball and score the ball. He lit us up for (24) here, so we need (him) to do that to other teams."
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