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Markell Johnson

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Markell Johnson
Johnson with NC State in January 2020
No. 0 – Bnei Herzliya
PositionPoint guard
LeagueIsraeli Basketball Premier League
Personal information
Born (1998-08-25) August 25, 1998 (age 26)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight187 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High schoolEast Tech
(Cleveland, Ohio)
CollegeNC State (2016–2020)
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Beşiktaş
2021–2022Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys
2022–2024BC Astana
2024–2025Shenzhen Leopards
2025–presentBnei Herzliya
Career highlights

Markell Davon Johnson (born August 25, 1998) is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for Bnei Herzliya of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for the NC State Wolfpack. He twice led the ACC in assists.

Early life

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Johnson was born in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] His mother is Sabrina Johnson, his father who passed away in 2016 was Mark Thomas Sr., his older sister is named Markishia, and his older brother is named Mark.[2][3] He is 6' 2".[4]

High school career

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Johnson played basketball for four years at East Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio. As a freshman, he scored 27 points and made a game-winning jump shot with 3.1 seconds left in overtime against Lake High School to help his team reach its first state semifinal since 1972.[3][5] He was considered one of the best freshman in Ohio.[6]

In his junior season in 2015–16, Johnson averaged 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per game, leading East Tech to its third straight league title and a district semifinal appearance. He was named Cleveland.com Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Northeast Lakes Division II All-District Player of the Year by the Associated Press (AP), and All-Ohio Player of the Year in Division 1.[3][3][7][8]

On May 2, 2016, Johnson decided to reclassify to the 2016 class and forgo his senior year.[9] On the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit, he played for the King James Shooting Stars, a team affiliated with NBA player LeBron James.[10] Johnson was a consensus four-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout, and a top-100 overall recruit by ESPN (48), 247Sports (58), and Scout (66).[3] He committed to play college basketball for NC State over offers from Louisville, Ohio State, Washington, and West Virginia, among others.[11]

College career

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As a freshman at NC State, Johnson served as a backup to Dennis Smith Jr., who enrolled a year earlier than expected. As a sophomore he averaged 8.9 points and an Atlantic Coast Conference-leading 7.3 assists per game (5th in the NCAA).[12][13] On December 19, 2018, Johnson set career-highs with 27 points and five three-pointers in a 78–71 upset of seventh-ranked Auburn.[14] He averaged 8.9 points, 7.3 assists (leading the ACC), 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals (5th) per game.[3] He was named ACC Honorable Mention.[3]

He missed three games as a junior with a back injury.[15] As a junior Johnson averaged 12.6 points and 4.2 assists (6th in the ACC) per game, shooting 42.2 percent (4th) from behind the arc.[3] After the season he declared for the 2019 NBA draft, but ultimately returned to NC State.[16]

He injured his ankle in practice and missed the first game of his senior season, an overtime loss to Georgia Tech.[17] Johnson hit a halfcourt buzzer beater to defeat UNC Greensboro 80–77 on December 15, 2019.[18] On December 22, Johnson recorded a triple-double of 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 83–63 win over The Citadel. He became the third NC State player to ever achieve the feat, joining Dennis Smith Jr. and Julius Hodge.[19] He was named ACC player of the week on December 23.[20] Johnson scored a career-high 28 points and made a halfcourt shot in a 88–66 upset of sixth-ranked Duke on February 19, 2020.[21] At the conclusion of the regular season, Johnson was selected to the Second Team All-ACC.[22] As a senior, Johnson led the ACC in assists per game (6.8; 8th in the NCAA) for the second time in his career, while also averaging 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.9 steals (3rd) per game.[12][23][3]

Professional career

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On August 6, 2020, Johnson signed a two-year contract with Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL).[24] In 2020–21 he averaged 7.0 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.[25]

In October 2021, he signed with Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[26] Johnson averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 assists (7th in the league), and 1.4 steals (10th) per game, while shooting 42.1% from three point range (9th).[27]

On July 5, 2022, Johnson signed with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).[28] On August 23, 2022, he was released by the club, as he failed his medical.[29]

On November 19, 2022, Johnson signed with BC Astana of the Kazakhstan Basketball Championship.[30] In 2022–23, he averaged 12.1 points, 4.9 assists (8th in the league), and 1.8 steals (4th) per game.[31] On July 20, 2023, he came back to BC Astana.[32] In 2023–24, he averaged 16.5 points (8th in the league), 7.2 assists (2nd), and 2.2 steals (leading the league) per game, while shooting 80.0% from the free throw line.[33] On July 7, 2024, he re-signed with BC Astana.[34] On November 4, he left BC Astana.[35]

On November 13, 2024, he signed with Shenzhen Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association.[36] Johnson averaged 17.1 points, 7.7 assists (6th in the league), and 2.0 steals (8th) per game while shooting 80.4% from the free throw line.[37]

On April 1, 2025, Johnson signed with Bnei Herzliya of the Israel Basketball Premier League, for whom he plays point guard.[38][4]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 NC State 30 3 20.4 .377 .250 .577 1.6 2.3 .9 .3 4.0
2017–18 NC State 26 24 29.1 .460 .409 .609 3.4 7.3 1.7 .2 8.9
2018–19 NC State 33 30 25.3 .488 .422 .747 2.6 4.2 1.1 .2 12.6
2019–20 NC State 31 30 34.1 .405 .267 .606 4.4 6.8 1.9 .3 12.8
Career 120 87 27.2 .437 .344 .646 3.0 5.1 1.4 .3 9.7

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Markell Johnson" ESPN.
  2. ^ "A Deafening Silence: How Markell Johnson accepts what he can't change," USA Today, September 2, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Markell Johnson," gopack.com.
  4. ^ a b "Markell Johnson," Eurobasket.
  5. ^ Cassilo, David (March 15, 2014). "Markell Johnson jumper gives East Tech boys basketball 62-60 overtime win over Uniontown Lake in regional final". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  6. ^ Fleer, Zach (April 27, 2014). "King James Shooting Stars Classic weekend recap". Land-Grant Holy Land. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  7. ^ Goul, Matt (March 2, 2016). "East Tech's Markell Johnson tops AP Division II Northeast Lakes All-District boys basketball picks". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Goul, Matt (April 4, 2016). "Boys basketball All-Stars 2016: East Tech's Markell Johnson is Player of the Year; see more honors". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  9. ^ "Ohio guard Markell Johnson to reclassify, play in college next season". USA Today High School Sports. May 2, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Strelow, Bret (June 20, 2016). "Markell Johnson to provide valuable backcourt depth to N.C. State". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  11. ^ "NC State signs four-star guard Markell Johnson". Sports Illustrated. June 20, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Markell Johnson," Sports Reference.
  13. ^ Smith, R. Cory (May 24, 2019). "Markell Johnson Announces Return to NC State for Senior Season". 247 Sports. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  14. ^ "Johnson, Daniels help NC State stun No. 7 Auburn 78-71". ESPN. Associated Press. December 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  15. ^ Friedlander, Brett (October 4, 2019). "Markell 3.0 key to Wolfpack hoop success in 2019-20". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  16. ^ Tyree, Ameer (May 24, 2019). "NBA Draft 2019: Markell Johnson withdraws to play senior season at NC State". Sporting News. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  17. ^ Friedlander, Brett (November 6, 2019). "Markell Johnson's season gets off on the wrong foot". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  18. ^ Giglio, Joe (December 15, 2019). "Halfcourt buzzer-beater pushes NC State basketball team past UNCG". The News & Observer. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  19. ^ Giglio, Joe (December 22, 2019). "Markell Johnson's triple-double leads NC State past The Citadel". The News & Observer. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  20. ^ "Markell Johnson named ACC Co-Player of the Week". WFMY. December 23, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  21. ^ "Unranked NC State beats No. 6 Duke in 22-point rout". ESPN. February 19, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  22. ^ "2020 ACC Men's Basketball Award Winners Announced". theacc.com. Atlantic Coast Conference. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  23. ^ Bradham, Matthew (March 22, 2020). "Markell Johnson's Senior Year ACCDN Highlight Reel". Pack Insider. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  24. ^ "Markell Johnson Beşiktaş'ta" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  25. ^ "Markell Johnson International Stats," Basketball Reference.
  26. ^ "P.Petrilevičius: it is very difficult to compete with an incomplete team, I put all hope into a new player". Newsy Today. October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  27. ^ "2021-2022 Lithuanian LKL Stats," Realgm.
  28. ^ "Schnell, athletisch, explosiv: Markell Johnson unterschreibt bei den MHP RIESEN". mhp-riesen-ludwigsburg.de (in German). July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  29. ^ "Ludwigsburg agrees to deal with Billy Garrett jr". Sportando. August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  30. ^ "Astana signs Markell Johnson, ex Ludwigsburg". Eurobasket. November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  31. ^ "VTB United League - 2022-23 Standings and Stats ," Baseball Reference.
  32. ^ "Markell Johnson with us!". Баскетбольный клуб «Астана». July 20, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  33. ^ "2023-2024 VTB United League Stats ," Realgm.
  34. ^ "Markell Johnson extends with Astana". VTB United League. July 7, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  35. ^ "Markell, thank you for the game!". Баскетбольный клуб «Астана». November 4, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  36. ^ "深圳男篮签约布克&特雷沃-汤普森&马凯尔-约翰逊&邓-阿库斯". 直播吧. November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  37. ^ "2024-25 Chinese Basketball Association Player Stats - Per Game, " Basketball Reference.
  38. ^ "CBA, China: Transfers," 365 Scores.
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