2016 NBA Draft: Buddy Hield, Players Who Aced Elite Eight
Brice Johnson, North Carolina Tar Heels
Opponent: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6)
Result: 88-74, W
Stat Line: 32 minutes, 25 points, 12 rebounds, 3 offensive rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal, 10/15 FG, 5/5 FT
Position: Power Forward
Age: 21 (6/27/1994)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’9.5″, 230 pounds, 6’11”
Analysis
If you’re wondering why the North Carolina Tar Heels are so much better in 2015-16 than they were when the roster was first constructed, the answer is Brice Johnson. North Carolina needed a player other than Marcus Paige to step up as the star of the show, and Johnson has taken it upon himself to do so.
During the Tar Heels’ Elite Eight encounter with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Johnson took that leadership to another level by making school history.
Brice Johnson broke UNC school record with 23rd double-double in 38 games. Billy Cunningham held record at 22 -- part of 40 in a row.
— Mike Persinger (@mikepersinger) March 28, 2016
Billy Cunningham went on to become one of the greatest players in both NBA and ABA history.
Matched up against rebounding machine Zach Auguste and the Fighting Irish, Johnson dominated the interior. He scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, and pulled down a total of 12 rebounds, including three on the offensive glass.
Coupled with his 5-of-5 shooting performance at the free throw line, North Carolina rode Johnson’s brilliance to the Final Four.
Johnson has made his name as a double-double machine, as his school record 23 in 2015-16 display. He has NBA-ready athleticism, an unteachable tenacity on the boards, and an expanding offensive game that should enable him to achieve success at the next level.
Johnson needs to continue bulking up, but he’s no longer the type of player who will shy away from contact. Johnson is special.
Next: From Project to Prospect