Latest news with #EddieJohnson
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"The greatest assists man ever to play in the game" - Eddie Johnson explains how John Stockton never overcomplicated his role
"The greatest assists man ever to play in the game" - Eddie Johnson explains how John Stockton never overcomplicated his role originally appeared on Basketball Network. In most cases, when a player begins leading the league in a statistical category or receives widespread praise for their style of play, they often tend to adopt more flair and charisma on the court. This can sometimes detract the players from their efficiency and overall impact. However, Eddie Johnson witnessed firsthand how John Stockton never strayed from his grounded, no-nonsense approach. Despite leading the NBA in assists for nearly a decade, 'Stock' remained composed, quiet, and, most importantly, consistent, ensuring that he transformed the Utah Jazz into a winning organization in the 1990s. Eddie Johnson held high praise for Jazz legend John Stockton Johnson had a legitimate chance of competing for a championship when he landed on the Houston Rockets midway through the 1996-97 regular season. The team even reached the Western Conference Finals, wherein they saw Hakeem Olajuwon register a series-high 27.2 points, Charles Barkley log a double-double average of 16.2 points and 11 rebounds, and Clyde Drexler register 17.8 points per game. Despite those herculean efforts, the Jazz prevailed in the championship round. The Jazz closed out the series in six games, courtesy of Stockton bringing out the best in himself and his teammates. Interestingly, it was not Karl Malone's 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds that proved to be the difference maker in that series. But the fact that Stockton averaged 20.5 points and 10.3 assists and even brought the likes of Byron Russell and Jeff Hornacek better into the series gave. Put simply, for Eddie - the former Sixth Man of the Year - Stockton's ability to play his role to perfection and not prioritize showboating made him one of the most impactful players of that era. "The greatest assist man ever to play in the game. John was just - Boom! Boom! Right here, when you needed to catch it and knock it in, he was very simple. He simplified," Johnson said. "That's why Jerry Sloan grabbed Stockton out of Gonzaga. Nobody knew who Stockton was. They had a guy on that team - Rickey Green, who was a very good point guard at the time, and John Stockton eventually moved him out, and nobody saw that happen." John Stockton's legacy remains underappreciated Unlike Magic Johnson, whose flashy playmaking added showmanship to his game, Stockton prioritized consistency. His nine consecutive seasons leading the league in assists are a testament to his discipline and dedication. Moreover, for players from that era like Eddie, witnessing Stockton's impact up close only deepened his respect for the value the latter added to the Jazz organization. It's safe to say that had Stockton done more than leading Utah to five Conference Finals in seven years or to two back-to-back NBA Finals, perhaps leading them to a title, it would have changed his legacy forever. Unfortunately for him, as he couldn't attain that success, most in the modern era tend to forget the true level of dominance John Houston Stockton held in his story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Play eight minutes a game and have these Jokic stat nerds blame you" - Eddie Johnson thinks Jonas Valanciunas should go to Europe
"Play eight minutes a game and have these Jokic stat nerds blame you" - Eddie Johnson thinks Jonas Valanciunas should go to Europe originally appeared on Basketball Network. When we talk about the winners of this year's offseason, the Denver Nuggets are definitely fighting for a top-two spot, alongside the Houston Rockets. First and foremost, Nikola Jokic finally got a proven backup at the center position – Jonas Valanciunas arrived from the Sacramento Kings in a deal for Dario Saric. The Nuggets also added players like Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. Advertisement It seems like the Nuggets filled all the gaps they had last season. Their roster finally has depth, Jokic has a backup, they got rid of Michael Porter Jr.'s heavy contract, improved their shooting with Johnson and Hardaway and toughened up their defense and locker room presence with fan favorite Bruce Brown. Everything looked perfect for the Colorado-based squad until Shams Charania reported that the Lithuanian big man doesn't plan on staying with the Nuggets and has already agreed to a deal with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos. The situation is still unfolding and nobody really knows what will happen. Still, it seems Lithuanian big man wants to return to Europe for a bigger role, while the Nuggets are determined to keep him on the roster. "This is going to get ugly," NBA legend Eddie Johnson shared on his X profile. "Again, he will never say it, but he knows his minutes will be minuscule and the critics will run rampant with the blame game. Basically, come back and play eight mins a game and have these Jokic stat nerds blame you with a plus/minus of how you are failing him. He like I am going to Greece!" Johnson made a similar move himself Eddie, a 17-year NBA veteran, made a similar move himself in the 1994–1995 season, when he left the league to play for Olympiacos, Panathinaikos's biggest rival. Those were years when Johnson's productivity on the court began to decline, and so did his minutes. Advertisement Not satisfied with that, he made what was at the time an uncharacteristic move — he left the NBA for Europe just to get more playing time and compete for trophies. From that angle, Johnson clearly understands Valanciunas's position. As for Jonas himself, he was part of a trade last year that sent him from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Sacramento Kings, where he served as a backup to fellow Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis. The 33-year-old has a similar playing style to Jokic, and in that setup, Valanciunas averaged just 16.9 minutes per game. That was by far the lowest average playing time of his career, and considering how dependent Denver's system is on Jokic, it's hard to imagine Valanciunas getting more minutes than he did in Sacramento. Pairing the two also wouldn't make sense, since both are old-school traditional centers and would be easy targets on defense. Johnson's point for Nuggets fans makes sense, especially when we remember what happened to Saric last year when, after 16 games, he was frozen on the bench. Advertisement Related: "That kind of talent simply doesn't happen" - Del Harris said 17-year-old Kobe was 'slightly better' than 24-year-old Eddie Jones If Valanciunas leaves Nuggets have a problem The 6'11" big man recently turned 33 and committed to playing for Lithuania in this summer's EuroBasket. It's clear that he doesn't have much time left on the court at this stage of his career and likely wants to end it with a meaningful trophy, not to mention being closer to home. As for the Nuggets, if they lose Valanciunas, they could face another problem. The free agent center market isn't deep, with the biggest name being Al Horford, who's approaching his 40th birthday and isn't getting any younger. It'll be interesting to see how this situation unfolds and where Jonas will land. Advertisement Related: Josh Kroenke saying Nuggets might be one wrong injury away from trading Nikola Jokic reveals the team's biggest problem This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Danville High School senior named Drum Corps member
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — One Danville High School senior received a high honor as the newest member of a drumline competing for a world championship. Eddie Johnson auditioned during the winter and practice camps and was offered a contract to play tenor for the River City Rhythm Drum and Bugle Corps Drumline. This group is based in Anoka, Minnesota and will spend the summer rehearsing and performing throughout the Midwest. 'She had such a huge impact on the community,' Project Success mourns employee's passing The drumline will be preparing for the Drum Corps International World Championships in Indianapolis, which will end their season in August. Danville High School Band Alumni Jacob Kittle, class of 2023, is also a member of Rivery City Rhythm and is a member of the Contra (tuba) section. 'We are so proud of all that Eddie has accomplished in his goal of making a Drum and Bugle Corps Drumline as a high school student,' Danville School District 118 said in a Facebook post. 'We are so proud of both Eddie and Jacob!' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
