Johnson Named Second-Team All-ACC

Senior point guard Markell Johnson leads the league in assists and has been the catalyst for an NC State team fighting for an NCAA tournament bid

Neil Redmond/USAToday sports

Markell Johnson was a second-team All-ACC selection in the league's preseason poll back in October.

It's an honor he validated with his performance on the court.

Monday, the NC State point guard earned a similar honor by also being selected to the ACC's postseason all-conference second team.

This is the first time Johnson has earned a league-wide postseason honor. He was an honorable mention pick as a sophomore in 2018-19.

The 6-foot-1 point guard leads the ACC in assists at 6.6 per game and is on pace to become the first player to lead the conference multiple times in that category since North Carolina's Kendall Marshall did it in 2010-11 and 2011-12. 

He could become the first State player to lead the conference in assists more than once since Chris Corchiani in 1988-89 and 1990-91.

In addition to passing Lorenzo Brown for third on the Wolfpack's all-time assists list, Johnson leads the team with 54 steals while averaging 13.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He is the catalyst for a team that, at 19-12 overall heading into this week's ACC tournament, is battling for a spot in the NCAA tournament.

"Markell Johnson, when he plays like that," Duke's Mike Krzyzewski said after Johnson scored a career-high 28 points and handed out 10 assists in a Feb. 19 upset of then-No. 6 Duke, "they are an elite team."

On Dec. 22, Johnson became only the third Wolfpack player to record a triple double, compiling 11 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in a win against The Citadel.

Joining Johnson on the All-ACC second-team were Florida State's Devin Vassell and Trent Forrest, Virginia's Mamadi Diakite and UNC's Garrison Brooks.

The Duke duo of Tre Jones and Vernon Carey highlighted the first team, along with Loiusville's Jordan Nwora, Notre Dame's John Mooney and Syracuse's Elijah Hughes. The third team consisted of Virginia's Kihei Clark, Georgia Tech's Jose Alvarado, Clemson's Aamir Sims, UNC's Cole Anthony and Wake Forest's Olivier Sarr.

Jones was named ACC Player of the Year, Carey the Rookie of the Year and Florida State's Leonard Hamilton was Coach of the Year.

The only other State player to receive a vote in the ACC's postseason balloting was D.J. Funderburk, who got one vote for Most Improved Player.

Surprisingly, Devon Daniels was left off the ACC's All-Defensive team that consisted of Duke's Jones, Virginia's Diakite, FSU's Forrest, Georgia Tech's James Banks and Boston College's Steffon Mitchell.