Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter Joe Johnson is no ordinary Joe in the NBA, but he sure is treated like one.
Johnson entered the weekend as the league’s fourth-leading scorer. If the Hawks make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, which is possible, he could be an MVP candidate. He likely will become an all-star for the first time this season. But unless you’re in Atlanta, you probably don’t know much about John- son, perhaps the NBA’s most underappreciated star.
“I only worry about the things I can control,” said Johnson, who was averaging 27.8 points after 13 games. “I don’t worry about (recognition). It doesn’t bother me, honestly. In order for me to get recognized, we have to do good as a team. We’ve been doing OK so far. As we get better, it will start coming a lot more.”
Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony said of Johnson: “He’s underrated to me. He doesn’t get the respect he deserves. He can do everything: score, pass, handle. He can play ‘D.’ He rarely turns the ball over.”
Johnson was the 10th pick of the 2001 draft, going to Boston. As they did with Denver’s Chauncey Billups, the Celtics showed little patience with Johnson. After 48 games, they traded the former Arkansas star to Phoenix, along with guards Milt Palacio and Randy Brown and two second-round picks, on Feb. 20, 2002, for guard Tony Delk and forward Rodney Rogers. While the Celtics have made numerous great trades in their storied history, the Johnson trade will be remembered as one of their worst.
“When I first got to Boston, I thought it was a great situation for me,” Johnson said. “Obviously, they wanted to go in different directions.”
Johnson averaged 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 29 games as a rookie with the Suns and was named to the all-NBA rookie second team. In his second full season with the Suns, the 6-foot-7 guard-forward was one of just 11 NBA players to average at least 16 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Suns could have rewarded Johnson by extending his contract. But they signed free-agent guard Quentin Richardson on July 29, 2004, to a six-year, $43.5 million offer, with the plan to sign Johnson to a long-term deal the following summer.
Johnson averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists during the 2004-05 season and then spurned the Suns’ overtures to sign a five-year, $70 million contract with Atlanta.
It was a sign-and-trade deal that brought Boris Diaw and two first-round picks to the Suns on Aug. 19, 2005. Richardson was traded to New York a couple weeks earlier.
“(The Suns) gambled away taking care of me the (previous) summer,” Johnson said. “When you gamble, sometimes you’ve got to pay for it.”
In his first season with Atlanta, Johnson averaged team highs in points (20.2), assists (6.5), steals (1.3) and minutes (40.7). The Little Rock, Ark., native’s production went unnoticed, however, because the Hawks won just 26 games last season.
Led by Johnson, the Hawks are 6-8 thus far. With forwards Marvin Williams and Josh Childress expected to return from injuries soon, look for Atlanta to make a playoff run in a weak Eastern Conference.
“We are still right there in the thick of things,” Johnson said. “We just have to stay hungry.”
Johnson has a quiet personality and workmanlike game. That doesn’t translate to commercials or highlights. The Hawks aren’t on ESPN or TNT this season.
“I’m not flamboyant,” Johnson said. “I don’t bring a lot of attention to myself. It does play a part. Man, I’m just being me, having fun and doing what I do. I just think sooner or later it would get recognized.”
Footnotes
Earl Watson bought a new home in the Cherry Creek area after he signed a five-year, $29.3 million contract with the Nuggets before the 2005-06 season. Watson’s Denver days didn’t last long. He was traded to Seattle on Feb. 23 and hasn’t been in the house since. He’s waiting for the market to pick up before trying to sell it. … Thabo Sefolosha went from making $30,000 last season with Italy’s Angelico Biella to signing a two-year, guaranteed contract worth $2.93 million (with a team option for a third season) with the Chicago Bulls. … Word is Kansas sophomore Julian Wright will return for another college season. The 6-8 forward is expected to graduate in three years and enter the 2008 draft. Freshman forward Darrell Arthur, however, could be one and done with the Jayhawks. … The SuperSonics’ new ownership is looking at building an arena that could be modeled after the Pepsi Center. “The building I like best of all is the Pepsi Center,” former Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens said recently at a news conference announcing his role as a vice chairman for the Sonics’ and WNBA Storm’s ownership group. “I think it was a great utilization of space, of amenities.”
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-954-1098 or mspears@denverpost.com.
