Jim Larranaga met with the media as the gears up for camp, and he made clear he is a big fan of former East Carolina transfer forward Brandon Johnson.
"Brandon Johnson is a transfer from East Carolina who has been, in my mind, the most consistent player. He is No. 1 in plus-minus, and other than Nijel, nobody else is close to him because of how well he has played in practice. And what's great about him, in addition to playing so well, he also has the highest assist-to-turnover ratio, he was averaging four assists every turnover, and he is throwing the ball to Lynn Kidd and Kiree Huie, who makes 70% of their shots." Larranaga said.
Johnson, a 6'8", 222-pound redshirt junior hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, has significantly developed over the last two seasons since transferring from Brunswick Community College. Last season, he averaged 14 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while starting all 31 games. His 3-point shooting improved to 36.5%, up from 33.3% the previous season.
He will make a big impact on the Hurricanes team this year as we are looking for the size and the intensity he has.
Film Room
Based on his film, it's clear that he can score at the rim. He plays with a lot of physicality and isn't afraid to get a little rough. With a field goal percentage of 51% when attacking the basket, it looks like he can be a go-to player for those crucial points in the paint.
He’s definitely one to watch when it comes to shooting threes, especially from right above the break. His three-point shooting percentage from that spot is 38%. He’s a threat from all over the court and can launch from well beyond the arc. He has successfully hit 17 three-pointers from beyond 25 feet, which is impressive considering his size.
He can run the floor and is an effective finisher in transition. Another key aspect of his game is his catch-and-shoot ability, boasting an impressive effective field goal percentage of 54% when taking those shots.
Brandon is a decent passer out of the low post, although he can get overeager as a post scorer and commit offensive fouls. He also is a roll pop man, so when the Canes run a ball screen he can fade out for the three.
"Brandon Johnson is a transfer from East Carolina who has been, in my mind, the most consistent player. He is No. 1 in plus-minus, and other than Nijel, nobody else is close to him because of how well he has played in practice. And what's great about him, in addition to playing so well, he also has the highest assist-to-turnover ratio, he was averaging four assists every turnover, and he is throwing the ball to Lynn Kidd and Kiree Huie, who makes 70% of their shots." Larranaga said.
Johnson, a 6'8", 222-pound redshirt junior hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, has significantly developed over the last two seasons since transferring from Brunswick Community College. Last season, he averaged 14 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while starting all 31 games. His 3-point shooting improved to 36.5%, up from 33.3% the previous season.
He will make a big impact on the Hurricanes team this year as we are looking for the size and the intensity he has.
Film Room
Based on his film, it's clear that he can score at the rim. He plays with a lot of physicality and isn't afraid to get a little rough. With a field goal percentage of 51% when attacking the basket, it looks like he can be a go-to player for those crucial points in the paint.
He’s definitely one to watch when it comes to shooting threes, especially from right above the break. His three-point shooting percentage from that spot is 38%. He’s a threat from all over the court and can launch from well beyond the arc. He has successfully hit 17 three-pointers from beyond 25 feet, which is impressive considering his size.
He can run the floor and is an effective finisher in transition. Another key aspect of his game is his catch-and-shoot ability, boasting an impressive effective field goal percentage of 54% when taking those shots.
Brandon is a decent passer out of the low post, although he can get overeager as a post scorer and commit offensive fouls. He also is a roll pop man, so when the Canes run a ball screen he can fade out for the three.
