Snapshot: A look back at Joe Johnson, the ultimate isolation scorer

Former Brooklyn Nets wing Joe Johnson is one of the most talented scorers of his era.

Like all good scorers, Joe Johnson had a methodical and purposeful cadence to his dribble.

Johnson was going to get to his spots more times than not because of that steady dribble. Aptly nicknamed “Iso Joe,” Johnson is one of the most talented scorers of his generation. He is one of 46 players in the 20,000-point club, ranking 43rd in NBA history for career points (20,405).

He played 17 NBA seasons, and though his best years were with the Atlanta Hawks, Johnson maintained his scoring ability with the Brooklyn Nets.

Johnson started his career with the Nets in 2012, as he was traded to the team from the Hawks before the 2012-13 season.

During his tenure in Brooklyn, Johnson displayed his scoring prowess, averaging 14.7 points per game and shooting 37.8% from the 3-point line.

A seven-time All-Star, Johnson earned one of his All-Star appearances during the 2013-14 season, his second with the Nets. That season he scored 15.8 points per game and shot 40.1% from the 3-point line, the third-highest percentage of his career.

The rhythm Johnson played with was necessary for his success as a scorer. A quality shooter, he could make shots from deep. He could drive to the hoop and finish at the rim.

One of his biggest assets was his ability to score in the midrange. According to Basketball Reference, Johnson shot 42.7% on shots 10-16 from the hoop during his career.

Johnson experienced more team success with the Hawks, going to the playoffs five times with the franchise. While with the Nets, he went to the playoffs three times. He made it as far as the second round in 2014, as the Nets lost to the Miami Heat in five games.

Johnson averaged a playoff career-high during that postseason, scoring 21.2 points per game and shooting 41.5% from deep. He shot a playoff career-high 53.3% from the field.

Though he finished his NBA career ringless, Johnson had a remarkable second act with Ice Cube’s Big 3 league. As the leader of the Triplets, Johnson won a Big 3 championship in 2019. During that season, Johnson averaged a league-high 21.9 points per game.

As one of the top scorers of his era, Johnson has a resume that could lead him to the Hall of Fame. He averaged at least 20 points a game for five straight seasons, and he also ranks sixth on the Hawks’ all-time leading scorers list.

Johnson will always be remembered as “Iso Joe,” the player who could get a bucket in seemingly any situation.

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