2014-15 Pitt Basketball Previews: Durand Johnson

Name: Durand Johnson

2013-14 Stats: 8.8 PPG, 40.5 FG percentage

Overview

Johnson was well on his way to establishing himself as an elite scorer in the ACC before suffering from a torn ACL. He is looking to bounce back in a big way and can run well in a fast-paced offense alongside Mike Young and John Newkirk. Johnson will likely start the season on the bench as the sixth man, but has enough firepower to play significant minutes.

Strengths

Johnson is an extremely talented shooter and can really stretch the floor with his speed and athleticism. He could even be described as a more, well-rounded version of Gilbert Brown. He has the ability to spark an offense and really take a game over when he's hot. In particular, Johnson is one of the few players on the team that can knock down three-point shots.

Weaknesses
Johnson is not anything special on the defensive end and will have to improve that part of his game if he wants to crack the starting lineup. In addition, Johnson has also been inconsistent from the field at times and struggled to connect. In his time at Pitt, he has shot only about 41 percent from the field. Last season, his 40.5 percent shooting from the field before his injury ranked next to last on the team among all regulars.

Conclusion

Johnson has all of the necessary skills to make a large impact on this Panthers team. He is the perfect ACC type of small forward, he is fast, athletic and lethal from behind the three-point line. I expect him to be in consideration for sixth man of the year award in the ACC.