Player exit review: James Johnson embodied Miami Heat culture

Few players over the course of the history of the Miami Heat truly embody the culture that has propelled the organization to three NBA titles in its 29-year existence. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem may be the most well known, along with Alonzo Mourning, PJ Brown, Tim Hardaway and the classic Heat teams of the 90s.

But the newest addition is James Johnson, the 30-year old journeyman who arrived in the wreckage of Wade’s sudden departure to Chicago. Johnson was signed as a part of an eleventh hour signing spree by the Heat in order to piece together anything resembling a competitive team.

Johnson arrived and immediately bought in, shedding an incredible 37 pounds and nearly 8 percent body fat to get in the best shape of his NBA career. The work off the court proved to be beneficial on the court as Johnson turned into a do-it-all man for the Heat on their way to a 30-11 finish, as they fell just one game short of the playoffs.

Johnson led one of the league’s best bench units (eighth in the NBA in scoring) while expanding his game to another dimension, notching career-highs in points, 3-point percentage, rebounds and assists. He also tallied a career-high with four double-doubles and turned into the go-to option for Erik Spoelstra in close games down the stretch.

But more important than any stat was Johnson’s commitment to the Miami Heat way, something that made him invaluable to the team late in the season and something that just might make him a major part of the Heat’s future as they look to build a contender in the Eastern Conference.

“If people thought it was going to be one of those seasons where a bunch of journeymen came in and the season wasn’t going to be what it has, that’s fine for people to think,” Johnson told Sports Illustrated. “The culture here don’t allow that.”