Tag: JOE JOHNSON

Joe Johnson, Galloway headline USA World Cup Qualifying Team

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Joe Johnson, Galloway headline USA World Cup Qualifying Team

Returning three players with previous USA World Cup Qualifying or AmeriCup Qualifying experience, and featuring 11 athletes possessing NBA regular season experience, USA Basketball today announced its 12-man roster for the February 2021 USA World Cup Qualifying Team.

Selected for the February 2021 USA World Cup Qualifying Team were Jordan Bell (Fort Wayne Mad Ants/Oregon), Tarik Black (Grand Rapids Gold/Kansas), Brian Bowen II (Iowa Wolves),  Langston Galloway (College Park Skyhawks/Saint Joseph’s), Jared Harper (Birmingham Squadron/Auburn), Joe Johnson (Free Agent/Arkansas), Juwan Morgan (Maine Celtics/Indiana), Matt Ryan (Grand Rapids Gold/Chattanooga), David Stockton (Memphis Hustle/Gonzaga), Rayjon Tucker (Wisconsin Herd/Little Rock), Paul Watson (Free Agent/Fresno State) and Justin Wright-Foreman (Birmingham Squadro/Hofstra).

Former NBA head coach Jim Boylen , who directed the USA team during the November 2021 World Cup Qualifying games in Chihuahua, Mexico, will again serve as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team. Also returning to the sidelines as assistant coaches are USA Basketball experienced coaches Ty Ellis and Othella Harrington.

The USA squad will open training camp February 18 in Washington, D.C., and will participate in the second competition window of 2021-23 FIBA World Cup Qualifying games that will see the Americans face Puerto Rico (1-1) on Feb. 24 and Mexico (2-0) on February 27. Both games will be played at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.

Bowen, Johnson and Stockton return after playing with previous USA National Teams in FIBA World Cup or AmeriCup qualifying games. Bowen represented the USA in the 2021 November FIBA World Cup Qualifying games and averaged  10.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in two games.

Johnson suited up for the USA with the February 2021 USA Basketball Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team. He started in both games and helped the USA to wins over Bahamas (93-77) and Mexico (95-76) while averaging 11.0 points, a team-high 9.0 rebounds, a team-high 7.5 assists. Johnson was also a member of the  bronze medalist 2006 USA World Cup Team.

Stockton  was part of two USA World Cup Qualifying teams, the February 2018 and June/July 2018 U.S. squads, averaging 10.0 points and 3.0 assists.

While 11 of the USA athletes own prior G League experience, 11 also have NBA regular season experience, including Bell (161 games with  Chicago, Golden State, Minnesota, Memphis and Washington), Black (220 games with  Houston and Los Angeles Lakers), Bowen (12 games with Indiana), Galloway ( 452 games with Brooklyn, Detroit, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix and Sacramento), Harper (13 games with  New Orleans, New York and Phoenix), Johnson (1,277 games with  Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Houston, Miami, Phoenix and Utah), Morgan (51 games with  Toronto and Utah), Stockton (6 games with  Sacramento and Utah), Tucker (37 games with   Denver, Philadelphia and Utah), Watson (46 games with Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Toronto) and Wright-Foreman (4 games with Utah).

Additionally, Bell, as a member of Golden State Warriors, was part of the 2018 NBA Championship Team.

Five players also boast of professional playing experience overseas, including Black (Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv, Israel and Zenit Saint Petersburg, Russia), Bowen (Sydney Kings-Australia), Stockton ( New Zealand Breakers, Australia; Cedevita, Croatia; Medi Bayreuth, Germany; and Mets de Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), Watson (BG Goettingen, Germany), Wright-Foreman ( Socar Petkimspor, Turkey; Chorale Roanne Basket, France).

Joe Johnson on playing basketball: ‘It was therapeutic for me’

Categories UncategorizedLeave a Comment on Joe Johnson on playing basketball: ‘It was therapeutic for me’

USA Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team (6-0) wasted no time in racing past Mexico (2-4), holding a 58-33 advantage at halftime en route to a 96-75 victory to close out qualifying games for the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup on Saturday evening in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Ra’Shad James paced the USA to victory with 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor and 3-of-3 from 3-point; Brandon Bass contributed 12 points and five rebounds; Joe Johnson notched 11 points, a game-high-tying nine rebounds, and a game-high seven assists.

“I thought it was great,” said Johnson of the team’s overall effort. “I thought collectively as a team we played great. We moved the basketball and got stops and got out and go easy baskets. It was fun that way.”

The 39-year-old Johnson, who last played in the NBA in 2018 for the Rockets, is having a lot of fun playing the game he loves.

“It was therapeutic for me,” Johnson said. “Being able to play and compete at a high level, I really enjoyed it. I love the game of basketball so much; I’m just glad I got the opportunity.”

The seven-time All-Star, who signed with the Pistons in September 2019 after his impressive play in the BIG3, but was waived a month later by Detroit, is unsure what’s next for him. However, Johnson, who was apart of the national team in 2016, was proud to wear the Team USA jersey one more time.

“I loved it so much. I appreciate the opportunity,” Johnson said. “I don’t know how I got invited but thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity than this.”

Johnson knew how to score in his prime and still finds a way to get the ball in the basket at age 39. It’s good to see him out there playing the great game of basketball.

Photo: FIBA AmeriCup

Report: Joe Johnson to sign with Rockets

Categories Uncategorized

According to ESPN, Joe Johnson is expected sign with the Houston Rockets after his buyout is complete with the Sacramento Kings.

Johnson was sent to Sacramento, by the Jazz, in a three-team deal that included the Cavs and Kings before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.

Johnson, 36, gives the Rockets another guy that can shoot the ball and provides the team with more depth.