Roster Outlook: Xavier Johnson
Xavier Johnson is the first new face on the Mike Woodson-coached Indiana Hoosiers. The Pittsburg transfer has an impressive resume and his impact on the court is apparent when watching film.
Woodson brought in the senior guard to shore up a lack of playmaking on the roster. Johnson is among the best playmakers in college basketball, but it comes at a price of some turnovers. Still, the lineup was in dire need of a player of Johnson's ilk, and he should make an immediate impact.
2020-2021 Recap
2020-2021 Stats: 14.2 points, 5.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 42.6% field goal, 32.1% 3pt
Johnson came into the NCAA with the ability to score. He averaged 15.5 points per game as a freshman and totaled 14.2 points per game as a junior. However, that slight dip in scoring came with an increase in assists, as Johnson averaged a career-high 5.7 dimes per contest.
A key stat when evaluating the Pittsburg transfer is Player Efficiency Rating (PER). Johnson's PER last season was 20.8 -- a very high number for a guard (PER is dramatically weighted towards big men). PER encompasses all stats to measure how impactful a player is in all facets of the game, and Johnson passes with flying colors.
Efficiency isn't his M.O. but subpar shooting percentages should go up since he will be surrounded by a better supporting cast as a Hoosier. There will be more shot makers and fewer reasons to force the issue than there were on his 10-12 Pitt team.
Improvements for this season
There is a lot to like with Johnson's game, but the caveat will always be his turnovers. His desire to generate highlight passes and set up his teammates can result in poor decisions. He averages 3.6 turnovers per game for his career and had four games last season with five or more giveaways.
The good news is that Mike Woodson has a way of limiting turnovers with his teams. In Woodson's best seasons with the Hawks and Knicks, both teams had the fewest turnovers in the NBA in their respective seasons.Johnson will also need to learn to shoot the ball better from outside. He isn't a bad shooter, but he has a funky low release that could be improved for better results. Still, the defense can't feel good about leaving him open even though he shot just 32.1 percent from three last year.
It also remains to be seen if Johnson will be willing to accept a role with less scoring. Trayce Jackson-Davis will be the man for Indiana, and the point guard's primary job will be to get his big man the ball.
Expectations for this season
Johnson will not have to do as much for this Indiana team as he had to do for his Pittsburg teams. There are far more weapons surrounding him, and his most important attribute will be his ability to get his teammates the ball. The best version of Johnson as Hoosier scores fewer points and averages more assists.
If he can remain in control and take smart shots and throw less risky passes, the 6-foot-3 guard could be among the most impactful guards in the Big Ten. If not, he will still be good, but the team may not reach its full potential.
It remains to be seen which combination of guards will become starters, but Johnson is the lead candidate for one of the two starting spots. He is best with the ball but can also slide to the two and work off the ball.In any position, Johnson makes Indiana a better team, even with his flaws. However, it remains to be seen just how good Johnson can become in his new role.
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