Johnson Applies Finishing Touch

One day, Amir Johnson’s life experiences are going to be worthy of a book. Until then, everyone can watch and wonder what it’s like to be 6 feet 10 and headed for basketball stardom.

Johnson’s high school days were never boring, never lacking in drama and always filled with twists and turns.

He started out as a promising center at Los Angeles Verbum Dei, then created an uproar by transferring to Westchester in his junior year. Accusations of recruiting were made, and before Johnson was finally cleared of any wrongdoing, he missed all but four games of his junior season, when Westchester was banned from the playoffs.

Just when he was set to begin his senior year, he broke his foot, sidelining him until late December. The mystery and mystique surrounding how talented a player he might be only grew.

Once he was set free from distractions and health issues, Johnson showed what all the fuss was about, rising to a level of excellence that made him one of the most dominant centers in Los Angeles City Section history.

On Saturday night, in his final high school game, Johnson scored 15 points and had 11 rebounds and five blocked shots to help Westchester (25-3) win its third state Division I title in four years with a 66-45 victory over San Mateo Serra in Arco Arena.

It was a moment to savor for Johnson, who’s clearly reaching a comfort level as a player.

“This is a relief,” Johnson said. “I’ve finally got a state championship after all the stuff I went through.”

To Coach Ed Azzam, Johnson is elevating his game to a level that separates him from most.

“At the high school level, an outstanding point guard is maybe more important than a good big man, but he’s a great big man,” Azzam said. “He does a lot of things that makes others better, and that’s the true stature of a great player.”

Bound for Louisville and selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American game, Johnson has more than made up for his lost time of last season, when he was stuck in limbo waiting to see if appeals might return him to the court.

He didn’t pout. He prepared for the future.

“I forgot the past and worked on my game,” he said.

His offensive skills have blossomed to the point that he was close to unstoppable in his last three games. He made 10 of 11 shots in the Southern California Regional semifinals against Clovis West. He was nine of 13 in the regional final against Los Angeles Fairfax. And Saturday, he made five of seven shots each from the field and from the free-throw line.

“We pride ourselves over the years on [players] getting better,” Azzam said. “I think Amir, as talented as he is, has gotten better. I don’t teach the stuff that he can do inside. God gave him that ability, and he uses it. But defensively, we think he’s improved quite a bit around the basket.”

Johnson is a teenager of few words when a microphone is put in front of him, but his shyness is slowly dissipating as he gains confidence in dealing with the obligations of a public figure.

“He’s not as quiet as he looks,” Azzam said. “He’s not a real loud or outspoken player. He doesn’t get frustrated or mad on the outside. Even when he does great plays, he doesn’t show a lot of emotion. He just plays hard.”

There’s no telling how much more dominant Johnson might be today if he had played his entire junior season, but there’s little doubt what the future holds.

“He’s just a raw talent right now,” Azzam said. “With his work ethic and ability to improve, especially offensively, the sky’s the limit.”