BIO: Jaron Johnson was born in Tyler, Texas (USA) and attended John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas, where as a senior in 2009/10, he averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game. He was subsequently picked as MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in district-5A, and named All-East Texas MVP by the Tyler Courier-Times. He was also named MVP of the 2010 Azalea Orthopedics Boys all-star game.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jaron Johnson made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 24 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.

After finishing second with an 18-10 record and defeating New Zealand 2-1 in the 2016 Grand Final, Perth entered the season looking to win back-to-back championships for the first time since 1991. Nathan Jawai (to Cairns), Tom Jervis (to Brisbane) and Jermaine Beal (to Brisbane) departed from the championship roster, with coach Trevor Gleeson adding Angus Brandt (via Sydney), Jameel McKay (via Iowa State) and Jaron Johnson (via Rio Grande Valley) alongside returning import Casey Prather. The American guard signed a one-year deal on July 22 after spending the previous two seasons with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. “I know the Perth Wildcats are a championship organisation and I want to be a part of that success,” he said. Matthew Knight had undergone stabilisation surgery on his left shoulder before suffering a subluxation of his right shoulder during the preseason and being initially ruled out for two months, leading Perth to add Lucas Walker (via Adelaide) as an injury replacement.

Perth opened the season in Brisbane on October 6, where the new import made his NBL debut from the bench and finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 23:27, but the Bullets defeated the Wildcats 72-65. McKay (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led Perth, while Prather (9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) provided support and Torrey Craig (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) was Brisbane’s best.

Johnson (13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds across 14 games) appeared in 14 of Perth’s first 16 games, started eight times and did not miss a game through injury or illness. His two non-appearances before being reactivated came because he had been removed from the active roster, while his remaining absences came after Perth released him for the second time in December.

Johnson’s best game came against Cairns at Perth Arena on October 8, where Johnson (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) made 10-of-11 field goals and five of six three-pointers as Perth recovered to defeat the Taipans 84-74 in overtime. He entered the fourth quarter with seven points before scoring 16 during the period, including a game-tying three-pointer with just over two seconds remaining, then made another three in overtime as Perth collected its first win of the season. Prather (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) and McKay (14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) provided support, while Cameron Gliddon (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Cairns.

Despite the performance against Cairns, Perth deactivated Johnson after only three games on October 17 as Gleeson looked for better roster balance and more perimeter shooting. The Wildcats signed three-point specialist Andre Ingram (via Los Angeles D-Fenders) as his replacement, with Ingram (8.5 points across 2 games) helping Perth defeat Illawarra and Melbourne before requesting his release and returning to the United States because of mental health issues. Johnson had remained in Perth, continued working out and trained with the Wildcats during his deactivation, and the sudden loss of Ingram combined with injuries to Damian Martin (4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 steals across 22 games) and Jarrod Kenny (4.1 points across 30 games) left Perth short in the backcourt. Martin had fractured his jaw against Melbourne, while Kenny suffered a groin injury, leading Perth to reactivate Johnson only ten days after initially removing him from the roster.

His return came in Wollongong on October 28, where Johnson (7 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 14:35 from the bench before fouling out as Illawarra defeated Perth 81-76. Prather (20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal), Dexter Kernich-Drew (14 points) and Knight (10 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the Wildcats, while McKay (7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 6 blocks) protected the rim and Marvelle Harris (27 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) led Illawarra.

One of Johnson’s best performances following his return came against Adelaide at Perth Arena on November 5, where Johnson (20 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) made six three-pointers, including five during a remarkable opening half. He scored 15 points before halftime and forced a turnover before hitting a three from near half-court on the buzzer as Perth built a 16-point lead. Prather (28 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal), Jesse Wagstaff (13 points and 4 rebounds) and Knight (11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block) provided support, while Jerome Randle (40 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal) almost carried Adelaide back from an 18-point deficit before Perth held on 106-103.

The season produced another dramatic finish against New Zealand at Perth Arena on November 13, where Johnson (12 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal) made two free throws with 21 seconds remaining in overtime to give Perth a three-point lead before committing a turnover with the Wildcats leading by one. Corey Webster (20 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, and 1 steal) drove for the winning basket with 1.4 seconds remaining and Johnson missed the final three-point attempt as New Zealand won 87-86. Knight (24 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Prather (20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth. It was later revealed in May 2017 that Johnson had tested positive to cannabis following this game, resulting in a three-month ASADA suspension backdated to March 24.

Another of his best games came in Adelaide on December 3, where Johnson (18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth in scoring as the Wildcats recovered from a 15-point second-half deficit and forced overtime. Kenny (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists), McKay (13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 blocks) and Prather (12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) provided support, while Randle (23 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Daniel Johnson (16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) led Adelaide to a 92-86 victory.

Johnson (11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) was also part of one of Perth’s most important wins during its difficult first half when the Wildcats defeated Melbourne 92-89 at Perth Arena on December 9. Prather (39 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) produced a career-high scoring performance, while Casper Ware (38 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Ramone Moore (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist) led Melbourne.

Johnson’s final Wildcats appearance came against Adelaide at Titanium Security Arena on December 22, where Johnson (21 points and 4 rebounds) top-scored for Perth, but Nathan Sobey (24 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) and Randle (22 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led the 36ers to a 78-74 victory. Prather (18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, while McKay (6 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks) controlled the glass and protected the rim. The loss was Perth’s sixth from seven games, dropped the defending champions to 7-9 and last place and left their 30-year playoff streak in serious danger.

Johnson (released) was removed from the roster for the second time the following day, with Perth saying the move had been made in an effort to improve team balance. The Wildcats then worked through Christmas searching for another guard, with managing director Nick Marvin, Gleeson and the coaching staff reviewing around 35 players across two weeks. Perth had spoken to Bryce Cotton early in the process but initially did not realise his availability, timing and affordability could work before the pieces eventually aligned. Cotton (via Anadolu Efes; 23.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals across 16 games) signed for the remainder of the season on January 3 to replace Johnson and provide another scorer and ball-handler alongside Prather. Perth won its game immediately before Cotton arrived and then went 7-4 across his 11 regular-season appearances, producing an 8-4 finish across its final 12 games after falling to last place. Including the playoffs, the Wildcats went 12-4 in Cotton’s 16 appearances and 13-4 from December 31 through the end of the season, while Cotton’s 22.1-point regular-season average made him the NBL’s leading scorer.

Prather (19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 32 games) remained Perth’s other major offensive weapon and earned All-NBL First Team honours after finishing second in MVP voting with 107 votes behind Adelaide’s Randle with 147. Knight (9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds across 27 games), McKay (7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 33 games), Wagstaff (9 points across 33 games) and Brandt (6 points across 33 games) provided the main frontcourt support, while Perth finished with the NBL’s best defence despite Martin missing 11 games. Shawn Redhage (2.7 points across 33 games; retired) announced during the season that it would be his last in the NBL. Prather received the Gordon Ellis Medal as club MVP, the Players’ Player and Members MVP awards, Martin was named Best Defensive Player, Brandt received the Most Improved Player award and Walker (1 point across 2 games) received the Coaches’ Award. Perth recovered to finish third with a 15-13 record and secured its 31st consecutive postseason appearance after winning both games in the final round.

Johnson (to Rio Grande Valley) returned to the Vipers on February 23, two months after his second release from Perth.

Perth opened the semifinals at the Cairns Convention Centre, where Cotton (34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals), Prather (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Knight (14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) led the Wildcats to a 91-69 victory, while Travis Trice (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) was Cairns’ leading scorer.

Game two moved to Perth Arena, where Prather (24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Wagstaff (20 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals) led Perth, while Cotton (9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) contributed despite a quieter scoring game. Trice (22 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Tony Mitchell (17 points and 5 rebounds) led Cairns, but Perth won 74-66 to complete the semifinal sweep.

The Grand Final opened at Perth Arena, where Prather (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Knight (18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth to an 89-77 victory over Illawarra, while Cody Ellis (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) was the Hawks’ leading scorer.

Game two moved to the WIN Entertainment Centre, where Cotton (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals), Prather (18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Brandt (15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) and Martin (12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) helped Perth win 89-77. AJ Ogilvy (21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) and Rotnei Clarke (21 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra, while Knight (4 points and 3 rebounds) suffered concussion symptoms after a collision early in the third quarter and was ruled out of game three.

With Knight unavailable, Perth returned to Perth Arena looking to complete the sweep. Cotton (45 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) made 12-of-17 field goals, seven three-pointers and 14-of-15 free throws to set a new NBL Grand Final single-game scoring record, while Prather (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Wagstaff (10 points and 3 assists) provided support and Clarke (30 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra. Perth won 95-86 to complete a 3-0 Grand Final sweep and a perfect 5-0 postseason, claim its eighth NBL championship and become the first Wildcats team to win consecutive titles since 1991, with Cotton named Grand Final MVP after averaging 27.7 points across the series.

Jaron Johnson played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 14 NBL games.