His NBA chances dwindling, ex-UNC star Brice Johnson only wants 1 thing from Hornets

Spend just a few minutes with Brice Johnson and you'll hear one word over and over again.

Opportunity.

It's Johnson's go-to mantra at this point in his NBA career, and if you walk a few thousand miles (from Los Angeles to Detroit to Memphis) in his oversized shoes, you'll understand why. The former North Carolina star was drafted 25th overall by the Clippers in the 2016 NBA draft, but look where he is just two years later — on his fourth NBA team, fighting for a spot in the league.

"I've been everywhere the last couple years and haven't had the most success there, so being here does give me a clean slate," Johnson said Monday. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity."

There it is again: opportunity. Johnson is spending this week in mini-camp with the Charlotte Hornets in advance of the NBA's Summer League in Las Vegas, where young players everywhere have a chance to make a name for themselves. The Hornets have 19 players in mini-camp, and all of them won't be carried through to Vegas — it's Johnson's job these next few days to make sure he gets the call-up.

But how to do that?

To start, remind teams why he was a first-round pick just two years ago.

At 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Johnson was a traditional back-to-the-basket power forward coming out of UNC. He averaged 18.2 points his senior season at UNC — one that culminated with a last-second loss to Villanova in the 2016 NCAA championship — with an arsenal of post moves, drives to the basket and floor-running dunks. That he could rebound in traffic and create second-chance points on offense were bonuses. There were occasional jump shots, too, but that was never Johnson's hallmark.

Unfortunately for Johnson, the modern NBA doesn't value the same skills that made him a first-team All-America selection in college. With a growing emphasis on shooting, even from big men, Johnson has had to adjust his game.

"(I'm trying to show that) I'm a very dynamic player. I can stretch the floor, I can get to the basket, play with my back to the basket — just do it all," Johnson said. "I've been working on my outside shot mostly this summer and playing off the dribble. Trying to diversify my game instead of the way I played in college, with my back to the basket most of the time and just shooting 15-footers here and there.

"That's one of the things they want to see me do more of — they know I can score from the inside, but the game is going to a stretch four position, so they want to see more of that."

Johnson has only attempted one career 3-pointer, and while his 44.9 career field goal percentage may suggest potential to develop as a shooter, that isn't what will earn him a slot in Las Vegas with the Hornets. It's those tried-and-true skills he could bring as a depth piece for this Charlotte team.

"Whenever you have a guy that's local, that brings that pedigree, you know he's going to be well-coached," Hornets assistant Jay Triano said. "You know he's a guy that's going to be able to take criticism and run with it, so I think that's something we're looking for from Brice.

"Come out here, figure out how to pick his spots, and just learn what we're trying to do as a franchise. If he does that, he'll be in good shape."

The thing about summer league — and the thing Johnson realizes — is that the goal for players isn't necessarily sticking with the teams that invite them. Would Johnson love to play for the Hornets and study under forward Marvin Williams, a fellow Tar Heel and one of his mentors? Absolutely.

But Johnson, along with hoards of other hopefuls league-wide, knows he can't be that close-minded. In Vegas, players are auditioning for every NBA team and multiple international ones — just get there, impress, and you never know who could reach out.

"Whether it's here, whether it's anywhere else, I just want the opportunity to show what I can do," Johnson said. "If that's here, then hey, I'm gonna take advantage of it. I'm gonna love it, being here, playing in front of all the Carolina fans that come to the games.

"If it's not, then wherever I end up, they're getting a really good player."

After being traded from Los Angeles to Detroit (as part of the blockbuster Blake Griffin deal) and then to Memphis, where he was subsequently waived, Johnson has already experienced the toughest parts of the business at a young age. A herniated disk his rookie year limited him to just nine minutes, and while he says his back is fully healthy now, that injury probably prevented him from getting his shot — his opportunity — with the Clippers.

Johnson knows his chances to stick with a team are dwindling, and that any rejection could be his last from the NBA. It's the reason he was the last one off the court at Monday's mini-camp session — his choices are give it all or go home.

And the latter isn't anything he's interested in.

"I haven't proved anything yet, but I just want to prove the reason why somebody picked me in the first round. I mean, I am a really good player," Johnson said. "They're starting fresh here with a new coaching staff, a new training staff, a new everything, so it's a fresh start for both of us.

"I just want to hoop. I wanna get out there when the lights are on and everybody's watching, man. That's what I want to do, man."

This story was originally published July 2, 2018 at 7:31 PM with the headline "His NBA chances dwindling, ex-UNC star Brice Johnson only wants 1 thing from Hornets."