Making the Leap: G League Ignite’s London Johnson Ready to Break Out in Year 2
Finding success without consistency is extremely difficult, but it’s something G League Ignite guard London Johnson has been doing his entire life. After starting to play basketball around age six, he moved every couple of years, ultimately living in eight different states to this point.
With this change came new opportunities to play in a variety situations and systems along with different teammates. It was certainly a difficult obstacle to overcome, but made Johnson who he is today.
The former four-star recruit graduated from high school early and reclassified up to the 2022 class, bypassing college and going professional by signing a deal with Ignite. Given his age, he had to sign a two-year contract to bridge the gap between high school and his NBA draft eligibility.
By the time Johnson made this significant decision, he was already a well-known point guard around the country. With that in mind, he hadn’t always been a star in his class. It was the summer before his freshman year that things really started to change for Johnson, as he began to emerge.
“I realized probably around eighth grade summer and into freshman year — I could be really good at this [basketball].”
One of the primary reasons that Johnson broke out around this time was his pivot to becoming more of a true lead guard. The months leading up to his freshman season and that first high school year were big for his confidence, but a shift to point guard was really what was a catalyst for his basketball career right before his sophomore season.
“During my early days, I was really just in the corner, catch-and-shoot type of guy. I could really shoot the ball,” Johnson told Draft Digest in an interview. “I played on a team with Jalen Hood-Schifino — he was running the one and I was the spot-up shooter on Team Charlotte. Then my dad wanted me to get more development. He knew that bringing me on the ball would help my IQ and further my development, so he switched my team and then I started playing point guard after that.”
The payoff was instant for Johnson, as the natural point guard skills shined bright and developed quickly. Now, he’s emerged as a guard that can really do a little bit of everything offensively. When he needs to be the facilitator and set his teammates up, that’s no problem. When his team needs a bucket, he can do that too.
Full London Johnson Scouting Report
“I’d say a facilitating point guard that can score as well and can be a defender on-ball and make the right read,” said the G League guard.
When asking Johnson what players he models his game after, his ability to both score and pass begins to make even more sense.
“Chris Paul, like his older style. I still like some of the things he does on the court now, but I mainly look at his younger highlights, reads and gameplay. I also like to mix in some Devin Booker, the way he shoots the ball and his shot selection and stuff like that," said Johnson on who he looks to emulate.
Watching film of one of the best passers in the history of the game, along with one of the league’s most lethal scorers currently has really helped the G League guard build out his style of play.
While Johnson played last season with Ignite, he was somewhat overshadowed by current Portland Trail Blazers guard, Scoot Henderson. These two have been friends for some time now, so learning from him and following his path as a two-year guard in the G League is certainly a luxury.
“Me and Scoot knew each before Ignite and we played on the same AAU team before that. When I would watch him in the G League, I knew the opportunity was great.”
This season, Johnson will be asked to play a much larger role and be one of the primary ball handlers for Ignite. Given this will be his second season in the system, things should come more natural to him. For Johnson, it’s the speed of the game that was the biggest challenge last season, which is something that will come easier in the 2023-24 campaign. He’s also been adding to his frame and working on his jumper.
“I feel like I came into Ignite from high school thinking that it was always gonna be about physicality,” Johnson told Draft Digest. “But I felt like it was more game speed than physicality. And that's what I felt I struggled with the most. Last year, I came in like open air just trying to learn as much as I could. Now my main focus from year one to year two is putting on muscle, getting faster and perfecting my deep range shots off the dribble.
Off the court, Johnson is very into fashion which will be something else he’ll bring with him to the NBA next season. He carries dual citizenship with Jamaica and the United States and actually represented Jamaica in 2021 FIBA Centrobasket U17 compeition in Mexico. He averaged 36 points points per game, which was a world record for that event.
The offensive skillset, off-court swagger and professional experience of London Johnson will soon set him up to be a fan favorite at the NBA level. After two seasons with G League Ignite, he will be eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft. In the meantime, he’ll look to have a breakout second season.
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