Best NBA player born in North Dakota: Tyler Johnson
The state of North Dakota hasn’t been a hotbed for hoops, but there’s still a diamond in the rough. Shooter Doug McDermott is one notable player to hail from North Dakota. The best player is guard Tyler Johnson, someone who has taken an unlikely path to find stardom in the NBA.
Since going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, he’s found his way into a lucrative role with the Miami Heat. Johnson played his college basketball Fresno State University, where he improved his production each season. He averaged 15.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a senior while shooting 43.2 percent from 3-point range.
Originally, Johnson was waived by the Heat back in October 2014 after signing a deal in August. He was brought back after signing two 10-day contracts in January 2015. He got the notice of NBA scouts on the G League circuit with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging 18.5 points on 43.5 percent shooting from 3-point land.
Since then, he’s signed two multi-year deals with Miami and continues to emerge as one of the best reserve guards in the East. Through five seasons with the Heat, Johnson is producing 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 36.7 percent from behind the arc.
He’s made a name for himself, despite the odds being stacked against him. In 2017-18, he made a career-high 119 3-pointers for the Heat. He’s not only a sharpshooter from behind the arc but he also has a knack for dunking on his opponents, too.