NICKNAME/S: DJ

BIO: Johnson was born in Carnarvon, Western Australia, and grew up in Perth, where he attended Willetton Senior High School and began playing basketball as a junior with the Willetton basketball program. He later moved to Melbourne (VIC) where he played for the Melbourne Tigers basketball team as a teenager.

In 2006 and 2007, he attended the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and played for the program’s SEABL team. In 2006, he helped the AIS win the King Club International Cup en route to being voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 22 points, six rebounds, one assist, two blocks and a steal over five games.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Daniel Johnson made his NBL debut with the Melbourne Tigers at 20 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

In 2008/09, Daniel Johnson was elevated from the Melbourne Tigers junior program by head coach Al Westover as a backup to NBL MVP Chris Anstey. Johnson averaged 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.2 assists, contributing as the Tigers finished with a 20-10 record, securing second place. The Tigers advanced to the NBL Grand Final after defeating Perth in the semifinals but ultimately fell short to their cross-town rivals, the South Dragons, in a five-game series.

2009/10
Johnson’s role grew in the 2009/10 season as Chris Anstey dealt with a recurring back injury, which limited him to his lowest statistical output since his 1996 breakout season with the Magic. Anstey averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game, leaving a void in the Tigers’ frontcourt. Johnson stepped up, improving his numbers from the previous season to 10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, which included a career-high 17 points against Adelaide. The Tigers, however, finished sixth in the regular season with an 11-17 record. At season’s end, both Anstey and his long-time teammate Sam MacKinnon retired.

2010/11
Following the club’s worst-ever season, the 36ers parted ways with coach Scott Ninnis and brought in Marty Clarke, Johnson’s former coach at the AIS, for the 2010/11 NBL season. Clarke, who had won an NBL championship as a player with North Melbourne in 1989, was an unexpected choice as head coach due to his lack of experience at this level. Clarke recruited Johnson from Melbourne, along with Rhys Carter (via Sweden), to strengthen the roster. The team also re-signed captain Adam Ballinger, who had led the 36ers in both scoring and rebounding the previous season.

Clarke made significant changes, replacing imports John Gilchrist and Cortez Groves with Troy De Vries and Craig Winder. The 36ers were immediately hit by a string of injuries, starting with Nathan Herbert, who missed the entire season with an ACL injury. Adelaide won their season opener against Perth (74-69) but managed only two wins in their next seven games. Rhys Carter then suffered a major injury in December that sidelined him for a third of the season. In his absence, Adelaide brought back former guard Aaron Bruce, who had been away from the game to complete his studies in the US. Despite Carter’s eventual return, Bruce remained on the roster for the rest of the season.

Imports De Vries and Winder struggled with fitness and form, leading to both being replaced early in the season. Winder (10.1 ppg, 35% shooting) was replaced by Ron Howard, while De Vries (10 ppg) was replaced by Eddie Shannon, a veteran Euroleague guard recommended to the club by Chris Anstey. Shannon, who had played 10 years in Europe despite being blind in one eye, brought experience and leadership to the young squad. Despite his addition, the 36ers never found consistency, and for the first time in their history, they failed to win at least 10 games, finishing the season with a 9-19 record.

Johnson showed steady improvement, finishing the season with averages of 9.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. Adelaide narrowly avoided back-to-back last-place finishes, thanks to the returning Sydney Kings, who, operating with a limited player budget, ended the season with an even worse 8-20 record.

2011/12
The 2011/12 season proved to be another tough year for the Adelaide 36ers and coach Marty Clarke. The team’s struggles began with an injury to import John Williamson during the pre-season, forcing Adelaide to start their campaign with just one import. This led to the 36ers’ largest opening night loss in team history, a 69-102 defeat to Perth.

Diamon Simpson, a former college teammate of NBA star Patty Mills, joined the squad for the second game and became one of the few bright spots for Adelaide throughout the season. Simpson averaged 14.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks (second in the league) before earning a call-up to the NBA with the Houston Rockets.

Injury issues continued when new signing Nathan Crosswell suffered an Achilles tendon injury in round 10 against New Zealand, ending his season prematurely. While Adam Ballinger (5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) returned for the second half of the season, injuries kept him from reaching his previous form, relegating him to a bench role for the first time in his career.

Adelaide finished the season in last place with an 8-20 record, setting a club record for an eight-game losing streak. However, Daniel Johnson continued his development, capturing the NBL’s Most Improved Player award after increasing his production from 10 points and 4 rebounds to lead the 36ers in scoring with 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds (second on the team).

Despite the team’s struggles, there were standout performances from their imports. Chris Warren had an incredible shooting night on February 3, 2012, hitting 55% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc, and 100% from the free-throw line, finishing with 31 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in a narrow 87-81 loss to Melbourne. Meanwhile, Simpson, who posted 12 double-doubles in 27 games, recorded a monster performance in a win over Perth in December, tallying 22 points on 83% shooting, along with 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in just 26 minutes against Perth’s formidable front-line defense.

2012/13
With the Gold Coast Blaze folding ahead of the 2012/13 season, Adelaide capitalized on the opportunity by signing Adam Gibson, who had been close to joining Melbourne, along with Anthony Petrie and Jason Cadee to multi-year deals. The 36ers also brought in young forward Stephen Weigh from Perth, and in a bid to further develop their young core of Australian players, they opted to sign just one import, local player CJ Massingale.

Despite these roster adjustments, the team saw little improvement, suffering through another eight-game losing streak, matching the struggles of the previous season. Adelaide once again finished with a disappointing 8-20 record, securing last place for the second consecutive year.

Daniel Johnson (16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds) firmly established himself as the franchise player, leading the team in scoring and finishing first in the league in rebounds. Meanwhile, young Victorian swingman Mitch Creek showed flashes of brilliance and quickly became a fan favorite, offering hope for the future before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury on December 15 in a game against the Townsville Crocodiles. Before the injury, Creek had averaged 5.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists over 12 games.

At the end of the season, Marty Clarke was not re-signed as head coach, and the 36ers moved quickly to appoint NBL championship-winning coach Joey Wright as his replacement.

2013/14
In 2013, the Adelaide 36ers secured NBL championship-winning coach Joey Wright, who transformed the team from two consecutive wooden spoon finishes into Grand Final contenders, ultimately facing off against the Perth Wildcats. The 36ers retained their core Aussie group, led by Daniel Johnson (19.2 points and 6.8 rebounds), who once again topped the team in scoring and rebounding. Other key returnees included Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie, and Jason Cadee.

Mitchell Creek and Luke Schenscher made their comebacks after previous injury-shortened campaigns, with Creek overcoming a near career-ending Achilles injury and Schenscher returning post-elbow surgery. The team added BJ Anthony (via New Zealand) and former NBL MVP Gary Ervin (via Townsville) to the backcourt, alongside new import Jarrid Frye.

By Round 7, Adelaide had surged to second place on the ladder with a 7–2 record, including a 5–0 run. This stretch included the 36ers’ first wins over the Breakers in Auckland since 2009, and a victory against the undefeated Perth Wildcats (91–86) in front of a packed Adelaide Arena crowd of 6,585, the largest home attendance since Brett Maher’s farewell game in 2009.

By December, Adelaide had already surpassed their previous season’s win total (9-4). However, Jarrid Frye (8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) was released in February after underperforming, having struggled with an ankle injury. Rhys Carter, who had been playing in Sweden, was signed as his replacement.

Adelaide finished the regular season in second place (18-10), with Johnson averaging 19.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. In the semifinals against Melbourne, Adelaide claimed game one (101-85), led by Gary Ervin’s 27 points and 7 assists. The Tigers evened the series with a game two victory behind Chris Goulding’s 37-point explosion (98-87), but Adelaide dominated game three (102-63), securing a spot in the Grand Final.

In the Grand Final series, Adelaide faced Perth. Despite James Ennis leading Perth with 30 points in game one, Adelaide pushed the series to a third game after a game two win (89-84) in front of their largest crowd of the season (8,127). In game three, Perth clinched the title (93-59), with Shawn Redhage and Damian Martin delivering key performances for the Wildcats, limiting Ervin to just 4 points. Despite Anthony Petrie’s valiant 20-point effort, Adelaide fell short, and Perth claimed their sixth NBL title.

Daniel Johnson won his third consecutive club MVP award and was named to the All-NBL First Team.

2014/15
The 36ers revamped their backcourt for the 2014/15 season, letting go of Gary Ervin (to Wollongong), Jason Cadee (to Sydney), and Rhys Carter (to Europe). To replace them, Adelaide signed Jamar Wilson (via Cairns) and Daequon Montreal (via Europe), with young forward Brock Motum (a member of the national team) signed as the key offensive addition.

Wilson (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) led the team in scoring and earned NBL Player of the Week honours twice, including after a 22-point game against Melbourne (Jan 10) and a 25-point performance against Townsville (Feb 1). Motum (17.5 points and 7.1 rebounds) led the team in rebounding, while Creek (11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) emerged as the team’s third-leading scorer, increasing his production from the previous season. Johnson averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.

The 36ers finished in third place (17-11) but were eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champions New Zealand. Jamar Wilson’s stellar season earned him the Mark Davis Trophy (club MVP) and All-NBL Second Team honours.

2015/16
Before the 2015/16 season, the 36ers revamped their backcourt again, signing import guards Kenyon McNeail and two-time NBL champion Ebi Ere. Brock Motum left for Europe, and Luke Schenscher was not re-signed, moving to Townsville. Adelaide added two young talents: Melbourne Tigers forward Lucas Walker and Nathan Sobey, who had impressed Joey Wright as a training player with Cairns.

Daniel Johnson (15.5 points and 9.3 rebounds) continued to lead the team in scoring and rebounding. However, McNeail left the team after just three games due to a shoulder injury sustained during a pre-season dunk contest. Wright brought in Jerome Randle as a replacement, a player who had been viewed as “too small” for the NBA and spent the last five years playing in Europe.

Randle made an immediate impact, scoring 30 or more points four times, including a 40-point effort against Perth on November 5. He finished the season as the NBL’s leading scorer, with averages of 23.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Randle’s play earned him the inaugural NBL Australia Post Fan’s MVP and a spot on the All-NBL First Team, while Johnson earned All-NBL Second Team honours with his consistent play.

Despite Randle’s individual brilliance, the 36ers missed the playoffs, finishing in fifth place with a 14-14 record.

2016/17
During the 2016 NBL off-season, the Adelaide 36ers managed to retain their superstar point guard Jerome Randle, while adding promising young talents like Anthony Drmic (younger brother of former NBL player Frank Drmic), Sudanese-born Majok Deng, and import forward/centre Eric Jacobsen. Joining them was 18-year-old NBA Draft prospect Terrance Ferguson from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who decided to play professionally in the NBL instead of committing to college basketball, ultimately leading to the creation of the NBL’s Next Stars Program.

While most experts predicted the young and relatively inexperienced 36ers to finish at the bottom of the standings, by mid-season, they had emerged as one of the teams to beat. Adelaide started the season slowly (3-6) due to injuries to captain Mitch Creek (ankle) and Daniel Johnson (hamstring). Their struggles reached a low point with a heavy loss to Brisbane (87-105) in Round 7, dropping them to last place. However, a fully healthy roster turned things around as Adelaide immediately bounced back, defeating Brisbane (101-83) in the very next game and going on to string together an eight-game winning streak. By Round 11, they had risen from last to first place, and by Round 16, they had won 14 of their last 15 games, locking in the top spot with three rounds to go.

Even after losing their final four games of the regular season, Adelaide finished two games clear at the top of the ladder, finishing 17-11. With Creek and Johnson healthy again, alongside the MVP-level performance of Randle and Nathan Sobey emerging as a strong candidate for the NBL’s Most Improved Player award, the 36ers went on an incredible run. They secured the minor premiership for the first time since the 1999/00 season, finishing five games ahead of the chasing pack.

Johnson averaged 15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the season, while Randle led the team with 21.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, earning him the NBL MVP award. Randle became only the second 36ers player to win MVP honors (Mark Davis won in 1987). Sobey was also recognized for his tremendous improvement, winning the NBL’s Most Improved Player award after increasing his production from 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 10 minutes per game the previous season to 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 28 minutes per game, becoming the 36ers’ third option on offense.

The 36ers faced the Illawarra Hawks in the semifinals, easily winning game one 93-78, led by Randle’s 26 points and 4 assists. However, in a shocking turn of events, Illawarra won games two (100–94) and three (106-98), ending Adelaide’s season prematurely.

Daniel Johnson had several standout games during the season. One of his best performances came on 12 December 2016, when he scored 27 points, shooting 11 of 15 from the field and adding 9 rebounds in a win against the Cairns Taipans (101-83). Another notable game was on 28 November 2016, when he dropped 22 points on 7 of 14 shooting and grabbed 7 rebounds in a win against the Sydney Kings (103-96). Johnson also had an impressive outing on 8 October 2016, where he recorded 26 points, shooting an efficient 10 of 11 from the field, while also contributing 5 rebounds and 2 assists in a victory over the Perth Wildcats (96-88).

2017/18
With the Adelaide 36ers proving they had a championship-contending roster, coach Joey Wright locked in all eight Australian players (Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Hodgson, Brendan Teys, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, and Adam Doyle) from the previous season for another title run. One notable absence from the roster was star US import Jerome Randle, who reportedly asked for $300k per season, a figure far beyond what Adelaide or other NBL teams could afford. Randle opted to play in Turkey instead, with the 36ers replacing him with experienced guard Shannon Shorter.

Philadelphia-born shooting guard Ramone Moore and athletic forward Ronald Roberts were signed as the team’s other imports to complete the roster. However, import woes began early, with Roberts being released a week before the season opener due to a ‘knee injury,’ although Roberts stated on Twitter that he was “100 percent fine.” Veteran forward Alan Wiggins was signed as his replacement but suffered a broken arm in his NBL debut. With Wiggins requiring surgery, former Sydney Kings star Josh Childress was signed as his replacement.

Despite the early struggles with imports, Adelaide managed to find rhythm, although consistency was an issue. They won half of their first 16 games, and around this time, Randle enquired about a return after leaving Turkey. However, with the team roster set, Randle signed with the Sydney Kings instead.

Mitch Creek was ruled out for three weeks in mid-December 2017 after tearing a muscle from the bone in his hamstring. A disappointing 19-point home loss to the Cairns Taipans on Christmas Eve summed up the slow start to the season, but the defeat became a turning point for the 36ers, who went on to win 10 of their last 12 games, including seven in a row, and finished second on the ladder at the end of the regular season.

Daniel Johnson had another strong season, averaging 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Some of his standout performances included a 32-point game on 12 October 2017 in a win against Cairns, where he shot 11 of 15 from the field and added 7 rebounds. Another impressive outing came on 7 January 2018, when Johnson recorded 24 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Brisbane. He also posted a 25-point, 10-rebound performance on 27 January 2018 against Brisbane in another strong victory for the 36ers.

In the semifinals, Adelaide made short work of the third-ranked Perth Wildcats, defeating them 109–74 in game one, marking the second-biggest finals loss in Wildcats history. They followed up with an 89–88 win in game two behind Josh Childress’s 25 points and 10 rebounds.

The Grand Final series against Melbourne United saw United’s Casper Ware explode for 20 points before going down with a hip injury in game one. Chris Goulding stepped up with 26 points, leading Melbourne to a 107-96 victory. Johnson contributed 18 points for Adelaide, while Creek added 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.

In game two, Adelaide tied the series with a 110-95 win, thanks to solid contributions from Majok Deng (18 points), Creek (17 points), and Moore (17 points). However, the win came at a cost, with Childress suffering a shoulder injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the series.

Tensions rose in game three, with Adelaide’s Nathan Sobey ejected after clashing with Casey Prather. United claimed a tight 101-98 victory after Adelaide’s Majok Deng missed a game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. Casper Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points), and Goulding (15 points) delivered crucial performances for Melbourne.

Game four saw Sobey lead Adelaide in the first half, with the 36ers dominating Melbourne 55-31 at the break. Adelaide went on to win comfortably (90-81), with Johnson recording 29 points and 10 rebounds, and Prather leading United with 23 points.

In the deciding game five, Goulding, Ware (both 23 points), and Prather (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals) were too much for Adelaide as Melbourne clinched the championship with a 100-82 victory. Goulding was named Finals MVP, averaging 16.6 points and 3.6 rebounds over the five-game series, while Shannon Shorter led Adelaide in scoring with 20 points.

2018/19
After narrowly missing out on the NBL championship the previous season, the Adelaide 36ers faced a significant rebuild with several key departures, most notably second-leading scorer Mitch Creek, who left to pursue his NBA dream after lengthy negotiations between Adelaide and Basketball Australia.

During the NBL 2018 off-season, Creek was granted permission to play in Germany with the understanding that he would return to Adelaide for the 2018/19 season. However, his strong performances in Germany caught the attention of the Brooklyn Nets, who signed him to their G-League team. The 36ers filed an injunction to prevent Basketball Australia from approving Creek’s NBA deal without compensation, but a resolution was eventually reached, allowing Creek to pursue his NBA aspirations.

Other key exits included Shannon Shorter (to Japan), Josh Childress (retirement), and Matthew Hodgson (to Brisbane). To fill these roster gaps, Adelaide signed import Jacob Wiley (via Germany), who was scouted by Joey Wright at NBA Summer League as a replacement for Creek, and added point guard Adris De León to assist with scoring and playmaking duties. Young talents Harry Froling and Jack McVeigh were also brought in straight from college, adding youthful energy to the team.

Despite the significant roster changes, Adelaide retained key players, including Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, Adam Doyle, Brendan Teys, and import Ramone Moore. Leading scorer Daniel Johnson also returned and was named team captain, stepping into the role vacated by Creek.

Adelaide’s season started with a loss to Perth (91–99) at home in Round 1, but they bounced back with a win against the Sydney Kings (94–83) on the road. In Round 3, Sobey recorded a standout triple-double performance (22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists) in a victory over Cairns (91–83).

However, a string of four consecutive losses followed, starting with a defeat to New Zealand (114–94) and ending with a loss to Brisbane (93–90) in Round 4. Key injuries, including a calf injury to Ramone Moore, disrupted the team’s momentum. After another loss to Sydney, De León (7.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) was released, and Illawarra import Demitrius Conger was signed to replace him. With Moore still sidelined, Adelaide also signed Shaun Bruce, who played out the remaining games of the season.

Adelaide’s inconsistency continued as they followed back-to-back wins in Round 7 with a heartbreaking one-point loss to Illawarra (87–86) at home in Round 8. After a win against Brisbane (101–91) in Round 9, another defeat to Illawarra (90–93) ensued.

In Round 14, Adelaide found some rhythm, winning four consecutive games, including a crucial victory over Perth (97–84) and a dominant win against Sydney (119–99). However, inconsistency resurfaced as losses to Melbourne (114–91) and Brisbane (98–87 OT) in later rounds impacted their playoff chances.

Daniel Johnson delivered another strong season, averaging 17.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. His standout games included a 28-point, 6-rebound performance in a win against New Zealand (30 Dec 2018), where he shot 75% from the field. He also recorded 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in a victory over Cairns (2 Feb 2019), making 9 of 16 field goal attempts. In another strong showing, Johnson posted 23 points and 9 rebounds in a game against Perth (11 Oct 2018), helping Adelaide secure a key victory.

Adelaide’s playoff hopes were dashed after key losses, but both Daniel Johnson and Nathan Sobey (16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists) were selected to the All-NBL Second Team. Other key contributors included Jacob Wiley (12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds), Demitrius Conger (11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds), and Harry Froling (7.9 points, 4.6 rebounds), who won the NBL Rookie of the Year award.

The 36ers hovered between fourth and fifth place throughout the second half of the season, finishing equal with Brisbane at 14-14 but missing out on the playoffs due to points percentage.

2019/20
The 2019/20 season saw Johnson average 18 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 assist and play a key role in helping the 36ers to a seventh-place finish in the regular season with a 12-16 record.

2020/21
After the 2019/20 season, Adelaide parted ways with long-time head coach Joey Wright, despite his contract still having time left. Wright’s exit came amid allegations of abuse and bullying from players, and the 36ers decided to appoint former Perth assistant Conner Henry as the new head coach.

The 36ers began the season with contracted players Jack McVeigh, Obi Kyei, Brendan Teys, Daniel Dillon, and Alex Mudronja. On March 12, 2020, Adelaide announced the signing of young sensation Josh Giddey on a Next Stars contract. Giddey had recently made history as the youngest Australian to debut for the Boomers since Ben Simmons.

In the wake of the previous season’s issues, club co-captain Kevin White was granted a release from his contract in April 2020, followed by Harry Froling’s departure to Brisbane. Obi Kyei also requested to leave, choosing to focus on his clothing line.

To rebuild their roster, the 36ers re-signed five-time club MVP Daniel Johnson to a three-year deal and added Isaac Humphries, fresh from the NBA, on a two-year contract. Keanu Pinder, returning from Europe, also joined the frontcourt on a one-year deal. Sunday Dech (three-year contract) was signed from the Hawks, while imports Donald Sloan and Tony Crocker were brought in to complete the lineup.

Adelaide opened the season with a disheartening loss to Melbourne (65-89), prompting coach Henry to shake up the lineup. In the next game, Sloan replaced Giddey at point guard, and Pinder started over Humphries, resulting in a win over South East Melbourne (116-108). Humphries had a standout performance, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks off the bench, earning NBL Player of the Week honors.

In their third game, Sloan returned to the starting lineup, but Adelaide lost the rematch against South East Melbourne. Sloan was then moved back to the bench, and despite recording a season-high 20 points off the bench, he sought a mutual release to pursue other opportunities. Adelaide replaced him with former NBA player Brandon Paul later in the season.

The 36ers began the season with a promising 4-2 record but faltered during the NBL Cup, a tournament held in Melbourne due to COVID-19 disruptions. By the end of the NBL Cup, Adelaide had dropped from third to seventh place on the ladder. Even though Brandon Paul was added to the roster, the loss of Isaac Humphries to injury for the remainder of the season hurt their playoff chances.

Daniel Johnson (19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) led the team in scoring for the sixth time and put up career-high numbers in several games. Notably, Johnson delivered 33 points and 11 rebounds in a win against South East Melbourne (17 Jan 2021), shooting 78% from the field. He followed this up with a 30-point, 9-rebound performance in a victory over Cairns (6 Mar 2021) and capped off the season with 29 points and 9 rebounds in a close game against Brisbane (11 Mar 2021).

Despite strong individual performances from Johnson and Rookie of the Year Josh Giddey (10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.6 assists), Adelaide finished the season with a 13-23 record, ending in seventh place and missing the playoffs.

2021/22
Adelaide’s 2021/22 season began with the surprising decision to release head coach Connor Henry, despite him still having a year left on his contract. CJ Bruton was appointed as his replacement just weeks before the start of the season. However, the campaign proved to be frustrating, ending with only 10 wins.

Daniel Johnson averaged 16.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, standing out as one of the few consistent performers in a season plagued by injuries and underwhelming contributions from imports Dusty Hannahs and Todd Withers. The 36ers’ frontcourt was severely impacted by the absence of big men Isaac Humphries and Cam Bairstow. Humphries managed only six games before a knee injury ruled him out for the season, while Bairstow missed 10 games due to injuries at both the start and end of the season. The lack of production from the team’s imports further contributed to a disappointing season for Adelaide.

Johnson, who primarily played as a centre for most of his NBL career, continued to demonstrate his versatility as an effective power forward due to his strong mid and long-range shooting ability.

Some of Johnson’s best performances of the season included a dominant 31-point, 8-rebound game against South East Melbourne (4 Mar 2022), where he shot 76% from the field, and a 28-point, 8-rebound effort in a win over Brisbane (3 Apr 2022). Additionally, he posted 23 points and 6 rebounds in a close contest against Perth (14 Apr 2022), showcasing his scoring efficiency throughout the season.

Despite Johnson’s strong individual performances, Adelaide finished the season with just 10 wins and missed the playoffs.

After a tough NBL22 campaign, marked by an inability to form a cohesive core and persistent injuries, head coach CJ Bruton was optimistic heading into NBL23 with a full off-season to prepare the team. The 36ers retained their core group of Mitch McCarron (captain), Anthony Drmic, Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dech, Hyrum Harris, and Kai Sotto, and made significant off-season additions. Adelaide signed proven NBL imports Antonius Cleveland (via Illawarra) and Robert Franks (via Brisbane) to multi-year deals and added G-League star Craig Randall II (Long Island Nets) to bolster their offensive firepower.

The season began with a bang as the 36ers made history by becoming the first overseas team to defeat an NBA side since 2015, with a win over the Phoenix Suns in the preseason. They also put up a strong showing against Oklahoma City shortly after.

However, things quickly unravelled once they returned to Australia. Despite the preseason success, Adelaide amassed just a 3-4 record in their first month of NBL play. Craig Randall II (20.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 steals), who was leading the team in scoring, had multiple on-court altercations with Bruton. After reacting negatively to coming off the bench in one game, Randall was released just six games into the season.

With Randall gone, imports Robert Franks (17.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) and Antonius Cleveland (15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 steals) stepped up offensively. Daniel Johnson (11.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists), however, recorded his lowest scoring season in nearly a decade. Despite this, his best performance of the season came after Randall’s departure in a win over Illawarra (96-80), where he and Franks scored 28 and 25 points, respectively, both season highs.

Other contributions came from Mitch McCarron (7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals) and Anthony Drmic (10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals), while NBL Next Star Kai Sotto (6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds) displayed flashes of his NBA potential.

Midway through the season, with a 6-8 record, Adelaide brought in former Sydney Kings champion Ian Clark (12.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) for the final 10 games, hoping he could propel them into playoff contention. Despite Clark’s solid play, Adelaide faltered, winning only two of their last eight games, missing the playoffs altogether. The expectations placed on the 36ers after their stunning preseason win over the Phoenix Suns proved too much, and they finished eighth with a 13-18 record.

Johnson’s best games this season included his 28-point, 7-rebound outing against Illawarra (3 Nov 2022), a 21-point, 4-rebound game against Sydney (4 Dec 2022), and a 20-point, 7-rebound performance against South East Melbourne (24 Dec 2022). In December, Johnson played his 400th NBL game against Perth, a match where Wildcats star Bryce Cotton (32 points) led his team to a comfortable 98-90 win. Coincidentally, Wildcats guard Mitch Norton also played his 300th NBL game that day.

At the end of the season, Daniel Johnson retired as the NBL’s all-time leading scorer for players active from 2008 to 2023. Adelaide retired his iconic number 21 jersey, placing it alongside 36ers legends Darryl Pearce (#4), Brett Maher (#5), Al Green (#15), and Mark Davis (#33).

13 seasons, over 6000 points, one legend ⭐

Daniel Johnson is departing the Adelaide 36ers, and the club has announced plans to retire his number 21 jersey ????

Read more: https://t.co/XKTZA3vP54 pic.twitter.com/4XWnZuY7Tq

— NBL (@NBL) August 22, 2023

Daniel Johnson played sixteen seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Melbourne Tigers, Adelaide 36ers and South East Melbourne Phoenix. He averaged 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 415 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 45th in total games played.
– 30th in total points
– 28th in total rebounds
– 46th in total blocks

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.