Former Auburn Basketball Forward Makes NBA Debut

As this year’s college basketball season begins to reach a disappointing conclusion for the Auburn Tigers, many have begun to look back on last year’s squad. Johni Broome, Miles Kelly and Dylan Cardwell have all found themselves with NBA minutes in the time since, and another former Tiger just added his name to that list: Chaney Johnson.

On Monday night, Johnson recorded his first-ever regular-season NBA minutes, recording four points, a rebound and a steal in five minutes of playing time with the Brooklyn Nets. One of his two made baskets came in the form of a quite impressive reverse layup, which his new coaches will certainly take note of as they determine his future with the organization.

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Chaney Johnson knocks down his first two buckets in his NBA debut!#NetsWorld | @AuburnMBB pic.twitter.com/ed3WLmbO57
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 10, 2026

Following a Final Four appearance with last year’s Tigers, Johnson was signed to a two-way NBA contract in December, joining the (at the time) likes of Miles Kelly, Johni Broome, Sharife Cooper and Dylan Cardwell, though Cardwell has since signed a full-time NBA contract.

Johnson was a key and beloved piece of the Tigers’ Final Four squad, though he was often overshadowed by Broome and Cardwell. A transfer from Division II Alabama-Huntsville, Johnson averaged seven points, 4.2 rebounds and an assist in his junior and senior seasons with the Tigers.

Johnson’s best game as a Tiger came in the form of a 26-point performance against Georgia State last year, where he shot 12-14 from the field and snagged eight rebounds for good measure. That game aside, though, Johnson proved to be more of a consistent defensive option than an exceptional scorer, a factor that Bruce Pearl utilized to work his team through March Madness.

Johnson improved dramatically year-over-year with the Tigers, nearly doubling his average scoring production from 4.7 points per game to 9.1 points per game and well over doubling his total points per season from 166 to 345.

Interestingly, Johnson boasted most of this production from off the bench, as he played in 73 games with the Tigers, but only started five. This could be a key aspect of his developing NBA career, and in a league where “Sixth Man of the Year” is a prestigious award, Tiger fans could see Johnson in the headlines again sooner rather than later.