In the context of the NBA, while numerous players are known for their volatile temperaments and aggressive behaviors, James Johnson stands out as a unique figure. Despite his relatively reserved demeanor, he has garnered a reputation as the league’s ‘most dangerous’ player.
Speaking on ‘The Draymond Green Show,’ his college teammate - Jeff Teague added to this notion by recounting an incident wherein Johnson confronted a group of football players who had been persistently troubling the point guard.
"Our freshman year, they kept calling me Mike Conley, the football players. It used to piss me off. They like, 'Mike Conley, what's up?' I'm like, 'Don't call me Mike Conley, bro.' And JJ, we didn't really know each other yet, he was like, 'You call me Mike Conley again, Imma knock you out.’ Ain’t nobody know, he had this kickboxing resume," Teague said . "He's like, 'I'm tired, bro. He say that again, Imma knock him out.' You know football players, 'Show me.' James is like, 'Come on.' Football players like, 'We just talkin’ sh*t. We cool, bro.'"
Teague on JJ being different
Notably, as these typical football bullies avoided getting into a physical confrontation with the 6’7” forward, a particular coach also warned them about Johnson’s lethal kickboxing background.
Later, in a players-only meeting, each player was also informed about James’ perfect 10-0 kickboxing record and the fact that, as a teenager, he was already fighting for money. This information stunned many, including Teague, who was also told about his teammate’s future plans of competing against UFC Heavyweight Champ Jon Jones, such as the former’s confidence in his combat abilities.
"Damn, you about to go fight for money?" Teague asked Johnson. "He said I need some money. I was like, 'You're different bro. I'm not f***ing with this dude.' He had a record already."
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Johnson quickly established that wasn’t to be messed with
Interestingly, Jeff wasn’t the only player who witnessed James being confident in his combat abilities. During his time with the Miami Heat, Bam Adebayo saw another player confront ‘Bloodsport’ by calling him a b**ch in front of everyone.
James immediately told the player to meet him after practice. When the two faced off in the shower area, Johnson proceeded to deliver a one-sided beatdown. However, while everyone expected more animosity, Adebayo hilariously admitted that James hugged the player he beat and ended their beef right then and there.
Safe to say, while Johnson was an enforcer, unlike many, he didn’t believe in spoiling relations but just reminded everyone of their place.
Related: Jeff Teague talks about the infamous Jimmy Butler’s scrimmage with third-stringers - “He killed us and did an interview at home”
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