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Arizona Wildcats freshman shooting guard Stanley Johnson was taken in the first round of the NBA draft Thursday night by Detroit, the No. 8 selection overall.
That makes him Arizona’s 13th lottery selection and second in consecutive years after Aaron Gordon was taken fourth overall last year by Orlando.
More notes on the selection:
— Johnson, 19, is the fourth Arizona Wildcats player under 20 to be picked in the NBA draft. The others are Gordon, Gilbert Arenas (2001) and Eric Money (1974).
— Johnson, never one to be shy, told ESPN after his selection that he still believes he’s the best player in the draft and that he is gunning for NBA Rookie of the Year honors.
— Johnson joins a developing, young nucleus of center Andre Drummond, point guard Reggie Jackson and shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at Detroit. The Pistons started 5-23 last season under Stan Van Gundy (in his first season there) but played .500 basketball the rest of the way after trading away Josh Smith to Houston.
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Site founder and award-winning sports journalist Javier Morales has published his first e-book, “The Highest Form of Living”, a fiction piece about a young man who overcomes a troubled upbringing without his lost father and wayward mother through basketball and hope. His hope is realized through the sport he loves. Basketball enables him to get past his fears. His experience on the court indirectly brings him closer to his parents in a unique, heartfelt way. Please order it at Amazon (for only $4.99) by clicking on the photo:
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Some notable Tweets about Johnson’s selection:
Blowing smoke or telling the truth about Johnson’s known potential league-wide?
#Pistons head coach and president Stan Van Gundy said 4-5 teams called after the pick to ask about trading for rookie SG-SF Stanley Johnson.
— @kc1nyk (@kc1nyk) June 26, 2015
Allonzo Trier is in Greece where it was past 3 a.m. when Johnson was selected. He couldn’t sleep through the draft although the U19 Team USA team coached by Sean Miller are preparing for the World Championships there this weekend. …
Yeaaaaaa Stan @iAmSJ
— Allonzo Trier (@ISOzo_LOE) June 26, 2015
Miller chimed in also from across the world …
I’m excited for Stanley to join the @DetroitPistons and begin the next phase of his career. He is an exceptional student of the game.
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) June 26, 2015
Johnson addressed the “Bad Boy” reference after his selection by Detroit:
During NCAA tourney, Stanley Johnson talked about lessons learned from Pistons' Bad Boy teams: http://t.co/CAJt1NzkrM
— Anthony Gimino (@AGWildcatReport) June 26, 2015
"We watched that about three or four times this year to bring that attitude to the court," Johnson said.
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) June 26, 2015
The rim is also 10-feet high in every arena (Hoosiers)
"We all lace our shoes up the same way, from LeBron all the way down to the lowest guy in the league" – Stanley Johnson
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoNBA) June 26, 2015
Detroit’s Spencer Dinwiddie had a noted dislike for Arizona while with Colorado …
Can't go wrong with another Cali kid.. Welcome to the team @iAmSJ
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) June 26, 2015
Could have seen this coming …
I guarantee you Stan Van Gundy did his homework on Stanley Johnson. He & Sean Miller are very close, and think a lot alike.
— Dave Pasch (@DavePasch) June 26, 2015
Frank Burlison has watched Stanley Johnson play from the beginning and knows of what he writes about …
Stanley Johnson a much better shooter than the pundits are saying but not quite the athlete or defender they are touting.
— Frank Burlison (@FrankieBur) June 26, 2015
Expect this list to grow in the years to come …
Stanley Johnson is the the 4th Arizona freshman to be drafted, joining Aaron Gordon, Grant Jerrett & Jerryd Bayless. #NBADraft
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 26, 2015
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has also written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
