A lot of players leave the NBA and rarely pick up a basketball ball anymore, but not Joe Johnson. The former Atlanta Hawks star has continued to play even as he is not in the league.
Ballislife Midwest Squad chose to go to Little Rock Arkansas for their Indoor Invasion, and they squared off against Johnson and other hoopers from Little Rock. It was fun to watch Johnson hoop, as he looked full of energy and played like he was 20.
Johnson is known for his skills in isolation play, which birthed the nickname “Iso Joe.” That was in full display in the scrimmage, as he found several ways to beat his defender in isolation plays. The Midwest Squad lost twice to Iso Joe and his team in a best-of-ten matchup.
The NBA veteran has elected to stay fit just in case he gets a call back to the NBA. Many might think he would not be able to cope with the fast-paced nature of the current NBA at 40. But watching him play, he looked like he could still hold his own. In the NBA right now, Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem is the oldest player at 41 and has featured in four games for them this season.
Throughout his career, Johnson was moved around the league a lot, playing in seven different franchises in 17 years. He was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics but was traded halfway through the season.
Although he did not win any championship or feature in a Finals matchup, he was a seven-time All-Star and made the All-NBA third team. Iso Joe is also one of 48 players in league history to score 20,000+ career points.
Since he left the NBA in 2018, he has been playing in the BIG3, where he has won a BIG3 championship and two BIG3 MVP awards. He is still a free agent and will be ready to go if acquired by an NBA team.
