UNC Basketball: Scouting report of Tar Heel freshman Puff Johnson

The Defensive End: Pesky Ball Denial, Solid Tools, Shaky Overall

On paper, Puff Johnson has the anthropometric measurements of a prototypical combo-forward, reportedly standing at 6’8 with a spindly 7’1 wingspan that grades out as above-average for wings. Factor in his impressive stock numbers between Moon (2.8) and Hillcrest (4.0) and Johnson, on paper, seemingly profiles as a real impact defender at the college level.

But basketball, of course, isn’t played on paper. While Johnson does profile as a useful defender down the road, his overall impact and effectiveness aren’t quite there yet, due to some off-ball tendencies and the aforementioned physical/athletic limitations that affect his offensive game as well.

His length does afford him room for error that other wings simply don’t have. His length advantage allows him to get his fingers on some passes that other short-armed wings may not be able to reach, and the same goes for contesting shooters and affecting shots with rearview contests.

With his tools and willingness to get physical — remember, physicality is a mindset and not necessarily based on a player’s actual strength level, meaning it’s a very good sign that Johnson isn’t afraid to get in the trenches when needed — Johnson could be an effective team defender in the sense of fulfilling a role within a scheme.

Johnson’s strongest aspect of his team defense is his dogged approach to playing “no touch” coverage, gluing himself to shooters off-ball, and annoying the absolute mess out of opposing players. His length serves as a real deterrent to opposing ball-handlers who try to squeeze a pass into his man, both on the perimeter and in the post.

He’s also not afraid to throw his body around and step in for charges, which any coach would appreciate.

But it is fair to question just how impactful Johnson can be as a help defender. His stock numbers from Hillcrest are exaggerated and inaccurate, if not outright juiced, a conclusion that can be made from both watching film — in the few games available online, he rarely recorded any stocks — and from scouring his teammates’ available stats, all of which appear to be elevated. (No offense to Mike Foster, a top-10 recruit in the 2021 class, but he’s probably not racking up 8.2 stocks a game. Few players manage that, even at the prep level.)

Johnsons’ determination as a ball denier does present some notable drawbacks, too, particularly in terms of deterring dribble penetration at the nail. Defenders should be willing to help off of their assignment to stunt/dig at opposing ball handlers, but he appears a bit hesitant to do so.

This isn’t necessarily a pressing issue. Deciding whether to stunt or stay home is often a product of scheme, and it’s possible that Hillcrest coach Mike Bibby (yes, that Mike Bibby) wanted Johnson to face-guard his assignment on many occasions. I’m more than willing to give Johnson the benefit of the doubt here, since it very well may be a scheme issue, and there simply isn’t enough film available to lend some light on his overall feel on the defensive end.

There were some glimpses of ball-watching (e.g., shooters snuck behind him while monitoring dribble penetration) and some poor stunting technique (e.g., helping late and hopping into a driving lane), but there just wasn’t enough film to allow for anything conclusive.

The main point of concern on the defensive end is his underdeveloped frame, average lateral quickness, high hips, and inability to flip his hips and change directions quickly. Much like his older brother, Cam, he’s solid enough as a point-of-attack defender when he’s down in his stance and moving in one direction, often able to stick with his man and even funnel drivers to the baseline.

But, also like Cam, Puff is a mess when facing a crossover or change-of-pace move, struggling to swivel his hips in a timely manner. On several occasions, a simple dribble move was enough to lose him out on the perimeter, allowing ball-handlers to turn the corner and get into the paint rather easily.

Exposure to a professional strength and conditioning program at UNC should help some of these movement concerns, especially with the university’s experience working with Cam, who dealt with serious hip ailments throughout his Carolina tenure. There are limits to just how much a player can improve in terms of quickness and flexibility, but Puff Johnson’s relatively late growth spurt in high school could explain some of his movement inefficiencies and slight frame.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Johnson underwent a significant five-inch growth spurt as a sophomore at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School (OLSH) as a 17-year-old, a rapid height change that did come with some uncomfortable growing pains.

Johnson reportedly missed out on practice time that season due to tendinitis in both knees, so it’s plausible that he felt the effects of his growth spurt as a junior and senior as well. This would also explain just how thin and underdeveloped his frame is — just look at the width of his thighs/quads in the video shared at the top of this piece.

It’s admittedly a bit concerning that Johnson has yet to improve his frame, especially after spending a year at one of the top prep schools in the country. Perhaps Johnson’s frame simply isn’t amicable to weight gain (or keeping weight on). Perhaps he’s still growing, suggesting that he could be in a better place physically sometime down the road.

Ultimately, it’s too early to make any speculative guesses on where he ends up athletically and physically, though some improvement should occur at the college level, which bodes well for his game on both ends of the floor.