Mateo’s Hoop Diary: James Johnson’s convo about his Heat tenure on The OGs podcast

Former Miami Heatle James Johnson stopped by for his turn on The OGs podcast. Between him and Udonis Haslem, there hasn’t been so much muscle in a space since Peter Clemenza and Rocco Lampone schemed to take out Pauli Gatto in The Godfather.    

JJ’s combination of stature and weight- 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds- plus black belt status was rare and perhaps the perfect archetype for an ancient NBA enforcer. Opponents who got in his face didn’t know how much danger they were in. Remember, he’s undefeated in three mixed martial arts fights and started training at age five.

Serge Ibaka once had the temerity to get physical with JJ. He caught a two-piece in the face and instantly realized his heart wasn’t in it. Johnson served a one-game suspension. 

He was the teammate you wanted if things got hot on the court with a rival or when you wanted to go out for a good time. 

Who can forget when he backed up Goran Dragić after Robert Covington’s shove?

And he was the first to defend Hassan Whiteside when Taurean Prince slammed him.

Johnson was drafted 16th by the Chicago Bulls in 2009. He didn’t play that many minutes that year but was satisfied because he got to watch Derrick Rose’s ascension.

Then, seven years later, he landed in Miami with the Heat after two stops with Toronto, one with Sacramento and Memphis, and with G-League squads Rio Grande Valley and Iowa.

Johnson said the Heat’s never-settle mentality was encouraging and required the best version of oneself. He lost “35-to-40 pounds” transitioning with the group and still keeps the same personal chef from that time, whom Haslem recommended.

He spoke highly of coach Erik Spoelstra. “[He is] another person that won’t let you settle… meets you halfway. We can be in [the film room], and he’ll be like, ‘Do you guys want me to figure it out, or are you guys going to figure it out?’”

On top of that, Spoelstra has some of Heat president Pat Riley’s blunt delivery, based on JJ’s revelations. Spoelstra said once, “I feel weakness in this group.” So practice included teammates discussing their shortcomings and those of their peers. JJ remarked, “Everybody was sitting in that joint tensed up.”

In the 2016-17 season, the team’s first after Dwyane Wade left, Johnson was one of the pivotal pieces of the Heat’s 30-11 second-half season spurt. “We [were] the hottest team on the planet… when we [were] done with that year, I dropped tears,” he said. They infamously went 11-30 to start. 

He performed so well that the Heat rewarded him with a four-year, $60 million contract.

The spiders say Riley was not thrilled with his weight for the training camp before he was moved. The Heat’s president argued with Johnson’s agent about it. The squad then traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in February 2020 as part of a three-team deal that brought back Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill to Miami from the Memphis Grizzlies. The Heat sent Dion Waiters and Justise Winslow to Memphis. 

Of note: Johnson was a natural guest in his first-ever podcast appearance.

 If the kickboxing world were what it is today years ago, he would’ve stuck with fighting, he said on the show.

Haslem asked what he could do if he started training seriously for a fight with UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Johnson thinks he’d beat the man. 

Johnson is like former Heat assistant coach and 1975 NBA MVP Bob McAdoo in that he quickly develops skills for any hobby. He’s got a decent golf swing and can breakdance. 

His introduction to basketball was agreeing to play a three-on-three tournament with his best friend.

Haslem was a witness to Johnson’s wedding. 

Johnson is now a reserve with the Pacers and a respected locker room voice. He has become his group’s Haslem, unofficially spreading Heat culture. “Same thing I tell all the other guys- [Obi Toppin], [Tyrese Haliburton]- a lot of the things that [Haslem] preached to me, got me through dark days and stuff like that, I definitely share all that with them.”

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