Pac-12 Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

7. Nick Johnson

A five-star backcourt prospect, Johnson certainly rose to recognition during his career at Arizona. A 6’3 guard from Gilbert, Arizona, he stayed close to home with the Wildcats, arriving on campus way back in 2011. Johnson was pretty solid in Arizona’s backcourt during his first two seasons, but it’s his magnificent junior season that we’re focusing on today.

In that third collegiate campaign, Johnson averaged 16.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, hitting 37% of his 3-pointers and playing a major role for the Wildcats. He was the leading scorer on an Arizona team that won their first 21 games and advanced to the Elite Eight of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. He was a major threat throughout that successful season, with a bunch of 20-point performances while also leading the Wildcats in assists.

Johnson was downright fantastic in leading the Wildcats and really established himself on the national stage. He was Pac-12 Player of the Year and was named a First Team All-American, while also finding a spot on the Pac-12’s All-Defense team. Johnson was one of the top scorers in the Pac-12 and led the Wildcats so close to the Final Four before falling to Wisconsin in the Elite Eight. Forgoing his senior season, he was a second round draft pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.