StingRays Acquire Johnson From Atlanta

The Long Beach StingRays traded backup guard Nicky McCrimmon and a 1998 first-round draft pick to the Atlanta Glory on Friday for starting guard Niesa Johnson.

McCrimmon, from USC, was playing behind point guard Andrea Nagy and off guard Beverly Williams, and did not figure to beat either out this season.

Johnson, an All-American at Alabama in 1995-96, was the ABL’s leading free-throw shooter (87%) last season and was third in assists (6.3), fourth in steals (2.3) and 10th in three-point shooting (39%).

This season, in a new Atlanta offense under player/coach Teresa Edwards, her production dropped. She began the week shooting 29% from the field. And her playing time figured to be reduced by top draft pick Saudia Roundtree, expected to return from knee surgery in two weeks.

Long Beach Coach Maura McHugh said her team needed Johnson’s physical style of defense at the off guard spot.

“We thought hard about giving up a first-round draft pick, but we finally wondered if we’d get a better guard in the draft than Niesa, who’s young [24] and has a lot of years ahead of her.”

Johnson is not expected to play in the StingRays’ game Sunday against the Philadelphia Rage at the Pyramid, McHugh said.