After coping with so many highs and lows all through his school profession, former Indiana guard Xavier Johnson is hoping to start a profession on the NBA stage. This week, the previous Hoosier had a exercise with the Indiana Pacers, making his case to land a spot within the league.
Following the exercise on Thursday, Johnson mirrored on his time at Indiana. He spent three seasons with the Hoosiers, receiving a further 12 months of eligibility due to an early-season harm throughout the 2022-23 marketing campaign.
“I am most happy with simply going to IU and being underneath Coach Woodson,” Johnson stated. “I believe my favourite 12 months was in all probability my first 12 months (2021-22). There have been a complete bunch of ups and downs however we completed out the suitable approach.”
Johnson’s first season at Indiana was a memorable one. He averaged 12.1 factors and 5.1 assists per sport. Indiana completed the 12 months with a 21-14 file, reaching the NCAA Event for the primary time for the reason that 2015-16 marketing campaign.
The following season, Johnson performed in simply 11 video games, lacking a lot of the 2022-23 12 months due to an harm suffered in opposition to Kansas. He then acquired a further 12 months of eligibility from the NCAA, suiting up for the Hoosiers in 2023-24.
This previous 12 months, Johnson once more battled accidents, however nonetheless performed in 20 video games. He averaged 7.6 factors and a pair of.8 assists. The senior guard additionally supplied a powerful presence defensively for IU.
Johnson additionally talked extremely of Indiana coach Mike Woodson throughout his interview. He stated the previous NBA coach and present chief of the Hoosiers supplied sturdy management and in addition held the guard accountable throughout his three seasons in Bloomington.
“Self-discipline,” Johnson stated when requested how Woodson helped him most. “Coach was actually, actually on me day-after-day. He says it loads in his press conferences as a joke however he actually stayed on me as laborious as attainable day-after-day. That is actually ready me as a result of I am a man that will get distracted somewhat bit, however he was a man that helped me keep on monitor.”
Previous to his switch to Indiana, Johnson spent three seasons at Pitt. Throughout his three seasons with the Panthers, the guard averaged 13.7 factors, 4.9 assists and three.7 rebounds per sport. In whole, Johnson averaged 12.2 factors, 4.7 assists and three.5 rebounds per contest at Pitt and Indiana.
So far as Johnson’s exercise with the Pacers? He believes thinks went nicely whereas in Indianapolis.
“I believe it went fairly nicely,” he stated. “It kinda bought sluggish somewhat bit when gamers bought drained. Within the NBA, you have gotta be very well conditioned.”
ANSWERING FAN QUESTIONS ABOUT IU BASKETBALL: With roster motion round school basketball settling down and summer time exercises starting, it is time to reply some fan-submitted questions on Indiana’s fourth season underneath coach Mike Woodson. CLICK HERE
