FC Bayern Basketball has boosted its frontcourt yet again: 31-year-old power forward, JaJuan Johnson will be part of head coach Andrea Trinchieri’s team for the coming season. The US talent with the powerful leap spent one year in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, before playing in the prestigious leagues of Italy, Russia and Turkey, averaging with double figure points everywhere he went. In the EuroCup (62 games), which he won with Darussafaka Istanbul in 2018, his average is 13 points and six rebounds.
In 2011, the 6ft8 dunk specialist was the 27th pick at the NBA Draft. He went on to play 36 games for the Celtics. JaJuan Johnson’s latest spell was with up-and-coming Turkish BSL and EuroCup club Bahçeşehir Koleji. In 2020/2021, the 31-year-old will make his long-overdue EuroLeague debut with the five times German champions, FCBB.
36 games for the Boston Celtics, double figure points average across Europe
"Taking this step with Bayern into the BBL and the EuroLeague is a huge opportunity for me, which I want to take," said Johnson. "I know that Bayern is a very well-organized club with awesome fans. We as a team and I personally want to surprise everyone next season. I will contribute to the team with my professionalism, I want to do things the right way and be a positive voice for the team."
FCBB sporting director Daniele Baiesi had following to say: "JaJuan is a well-coached, experienced and versatile power forward. His stature will help the defense protect our basket and his athleticism and excellent scoring abilities will give our offense another push. He wants to prove himself as a EuroLeague player now and we have every faith in him to do this."
At his college, Purdue University in Indiana, JaJuan Johnson set a number of records: In 2010/11, in his freshman year, he averaged at 20.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and was named both Player of the Year and best defender of the Big Ten Conference. At the draft, the New Jersey Nets picked him at the end of the first round and handed over the rights to the Celtics (3.2 ppg). He spent the following year in the D-League.
‘JJ’ Johnson started his European career in the Italian Serie A for Pistoia (14.4 ppg).
After a little detour in the Chinese CBA (27.9 ppg), he made his EuroCup debut for Besiktas Istanbul (14.1 ppg), played for Krasny Volgograd in Russia (18.9 ppg), spent a year and a half in Italy playing for Cantu (17.3 ppg), won the EuroCup in 2018 with Darussafaka Istanbul (13.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg) - beating Bayern in the semi-final and going on to receive a lucrative contract with Russian top team Kuban Krasnodar (10.9 ppg). Last season Johnson averaged at an impressive 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for Bahçeşehir. In the smaller Europe Cup, the newbee reached the semi-finals with an 11.4 ppg average before the competitions were cancelled.
JAJUAN JOHNSON
(*8 February 1989, Indianapolis, Indiana/USA)
Power Forward – 6ft8 – 222 lbs
Until 2007:
- Franklin Central High School, Indianapolis
2007 – 2011:
- Perdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana (NCAA)
2011 – 2012:
- Boston Celtics (NBA)
2012 – 2013:
- Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Canton Charge, Idaho Stampede (NBA D-League)
2013 – 2014:
- A.S. Pistoia Basket (ITA)
2014 – 2015:
- Besiktas Istanbul (TUR)
- CB Guandong (CBA, China)
Until November 2015:
- Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd (RUS)
Nov. 2015 – 2017:
- Pallacanestro Cantu (ITA)
2017 – 2018:
- Darussafaka Istanbul (TUR)
2018 – 2019:
- Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar (RUS)
2019 – 2020:
Bahçeşehir Koleji S.K. (TUR)
Awards and achievements:
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team 2009 – 2011 (NCAA)
- All-Big Ten First Team 2009, 2011 (NCAA)
- All-Big Ten Second Team 2010 (NCAA)
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year 2011 (NCAA)
- Big Ten Player of the Year 2011 (NCAA)
- Pete Newell Big Man Award 2011 (NCAA)
- Consensus First Team All-American 2011 (NCAA)
- All Star Game Serie A 2016 (ITA)
- All Star Game BSL 2018 (TUR)
- All-EuroCup Second Team 2018
- EuroCup-Gewinner 2018