Wesley Johnson had the biggest play of last night’s game against the Rockets. He hasn’t exactly turned out to be the player we thought he would be. The fourth pick of the 2010 NBA draft hasn’t risen to franchise aspirations.
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In fact, this year, some would say he is struggling. This season as a Laker. he is averaging just 7.9 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game on just 38.9% shooting from the field, 27.3% behind the arc. It’s odd to see such low averages considering he had trained with Kobe Bryant throughout his rehab process since last April.
His current role as a Laker is to be the defensive stopper. We’d like him to become a Trevor Ariza-type of role player, capable of playing solid man-defense, but able to force turnovers and knock down shots. We’ve seen how Ariza’s career has taken off since he left as a Laker, but Wesley Johnson has the chance.
See, we know that Wesley Johnson isn’t a shot creator. We also know that his confidence tends to waver greatly. He is easily the best athlete on the team, but we don’t always get to see it. But, every once in awhile, we can see the defensive tools, athleticism, and hoop IQ combine for an amazing play.
The Lakers were down by one point late in the fourth quarter to the Houston Rockets. The team needed stops. Wesley Johnson, stopped James Harden on his own.
Not only did Wesley Johnson finish the play, he hit the following free throw. This gave the Lakers a two point led. The next possession, he was fouled, and hit two more clutch free throws late in the game, and sealed the win for the Lakers.
Wesley Johnson is capable of great plays. We’re just waiting to see his confidence grow. He could use some of the swag that Nick Young brings to the team. Once he carries his confidence like an armored suit, the Lakers can start winning games more consistently.