Markell Davon Johnson (born August 25, 1998) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the NC State Wolfpack.
![]() Johnson with NC State in January 2020 | |
Free Agent | |
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Position | Point guard |
Personal information | |
Born | (1998-08-25) August 25, 1998 (age 24) |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Listed weight | 187 lb (85 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | East Tech (Cleveland, Ohio) |
College | NC State (2016–2020) |
NBA draft | 2020 / Undrafted |
Playing career | 2020–present |
Career history | |
2020–2021 | Beşiktaş |
2021–2022 | Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
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 against Lake High School to help his team reach its first state semifinal since 1972.[1] He was considered one of the best freshman in Ohio.[2] In his junior season, 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 and Northeast Lakes Division II All-District Player of the Year by the Associated Press (AP).[3][4] On May 2, 2016, Johnson decided to reclassify to the 2016 class and forgo his senior year.[5] On the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit, he played for the King James Shooting Stars, a team affiliated with NBA player LeBron James.[6] Johnson was a four-star recruit and committed to play college basketball for NC State over offers from Louisville, Ohio State, Washington and West Virginia, among others.[7]
As a freshman, Johnson served as a backup to Dennis Smith Jr., who enrolled a year earlier than expected.[8] On December 16, 2017, during his sophomore season, he was suspended indefinitely and briefly jailed for felonious assault charges but was cleared to return on January 11, 2018.[9] He averaged 8.9 points and an Atlantic Coast Conference-leading 7.3 assists per game as a sophomore.[10] On December 19, 2018, Johnson set career highs with 27 points and five three-pointers in a 78–71 upset of seventh-ranked Auburn.[11] He missed three games as a junior with a back injury.[8] Johnson averaged 12.6 points and 4.2 assists per game as a junior, shooting 42.2 percent from behind the arc. After the season he declared for the 2019 NBA draft but ultimately returned to NC State.[12]
He injured his ankle in practice and missed the first game of his senior season, an overtime loss to Georgia Tech.[13] Johnson hit a halfcourt buzzer beater to defeat UNC Greensboro 80–77 on December 15, 2019.[14] 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.[15] He was named ACC player of the week on December 23.[16] 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.[17] At the conclusion of the regular season, Johnson was selected to the Second Team All-ACC.[18] As a senior, Johnson led the ACC in assists per game (6.8) while also averaging 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.[19]
On August 6, 2020, Johnson signed a two-year contract with Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL).[20]
In October 2021, he signed with Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[21]
On July 5, 2022, he has signed with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).[22] On August 23, 2022, he has release by his club, as he failed his medicals.[23]
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 |
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 |