Joe Johnson, Big3 symbol

If you have wondered what the symbol of Big3 is over the previous five years, there is a short answer in two words. Joe Johnson. He has even a nickname due to his popularity in the 3×3 micro world. His nickname is “Iso Joe” and you will later learn why the Fireball audience calls him like that. Joe is certainly one of the biggest names I watched in BIG3 and his fascinating moves impressed me so much that I had to dedicate him this story.

Where did he start his NBA career?

Boston Celtics had three first-round picks in 2001. Joe Johnson at position 10, Kendrick Brown at 11, and Joe Forte at 21. Joe was good with Brown and Forte and they spend a lot of time together as neighbors. At the same time, they were competing because Boston’s coach said to them they were going to fight for one position. It was like dream coming true for Johnson having the chance to play with stars like Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker, and Kenny Anderson. His Boston finished second in the regular part of the season in the East division in his rookie season. Despite his good performance, Boston decided to trade him to Phoenix.

How was his time at his next team Phoenix?

Iso Joe was transferred to Phoenix Suns at the beginning of 2002.  Joe needed to adapt fast to a new system and new players.  Johnson got some open space at the start of his engagement in Phoenix to show his skills and talent. His playing minutes jumped to over 31 a game over the back half of his debut season in the NBA. Iso Joe and Amar’e Stoudemire got a chance as young players due to the departure of Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway. The arrival of Steve Nash, a Canadian playmaker, opened new opportunities for Johnson to show his three-point shots and running pick-and-roll abilities.

How did he handle the pressure of playing in the next club Atlanta?

After three years in Phoenix, Joe Johnson was a restricted free agent which meant that any offer his team received for the transfer can be matched by the Suns. After a lot of peripeties, Iso Joe signed for Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta expected big things from Johnson and he justified expectations. He scored averaged 20 points in that first season for Atlanta and had 7 assists per game. Results were not so good in the first season, but in the second season, Atlanta won four games more. Atlanta improved results in every season. They couldn’t win the trophy, though and Iso Joe realized he gave the maximum and it’s time to move on.

What was his experience in Brooklyn Nets?

Joe Johnson signed for Brooklyn in 2012 and the Nets looked for him because of all of his offensive qualities. He was ready to play all sorts of play for them – post-up, isolation, and pick-and-roll. Iso Joe had good teammates in Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. Joe based his play on instinct and anticipation. He was thinking forward and making predictions of different scenarios on the court. Iso was trying to make his teammates look better in games. His goal was always trying to improve his play one-one because that segment of the game was important in the final moments of the game. That couldn’t help Brooklyn make any significant result in Iso’s last half of the season in Nets.

Did he have any success in his next teams?

Joe had a short spell in Miami Heat due to his injury he was struck by injury. Iso played 30 games for Florida’s team. That was a huge disappointment for him so Johnson continued his NBA career in his new home- Utah Jazz. In his first season 2016/2017 season in Utah, Utah made 51 wins. The second season was poorer and his points on account were lower. It was a good record if we have in mind that many players of Utah had injuries. Iso stated that he had a good time in Solt Lake City overall and had good relations with supporters. After a brief spell in Houston in 2018, he played in Big3 and then signed a 10-days contract with Boston in 2021.

What did his career at Big3 look like?

Triplets team was founded in January 2019. Fireball’s inaugural season for Iso Joe started in 2019 as he signed for the team Triplets. Triplets won the title in Big3 in their debut season.Triplets won against Killer 3’s in the final game. Joe was leading the Triplets with his rebounds, points, and assists to the crown. Joe got the Most Valuable Player award and has averaged 22.8 points. In other seasons Triplets were not so successful, but still, Iso got the MVP award in 2021 when his team finished the competition in the semifinal. This great player retired from BIG3 in the 2022 season after the fifth round.

Why is he considered the best player who has ever played in Big3?

Joe came into the Big3 with the pedigree of a seven-time NBA all-star player and 18 years of career in the most prestigious basketball league in the world. His score of 175 points in the 2019 season was beaten by the score achieved in the 2021 season.  Joe Johnson set the record in scoring in one season in the fourth season with 182 scored points before the game for the third place. That means he has averaged 23 points which was an unbelievable achievement. In the 2021 season, he also broke the single-game record that season with 34 points against team Power. His improving and hard-working mentality brought him this title.

How big was the collaboration between coach Lisa Lesley and Iso Joe?

Lisa Leslie is a big name and recognizable figure in the world of women’s basketball. She won the Olympic Games four times, the WNBA (Women NBA) league two times, and the MVP of WNBA three times. With that kind of reputation, Lisa joined forces with Joe in the Triplets project in an attempt to make unforgettable things in the 3X3 game. Her way of approaching every game is specific and it gives an advantage to hard-working over talent. The philosophy of Iso Joe matched Lisa’s coaching style and they were able to win the trophy in 2019. Leslie became the second woman who got the award Coach of the year in that season.

Did he perform for the 5×5 USA national squad?

Joe represented the USA 5×5 basketball squad in the World Cup 2006 in Japan. His contribution to third place in that tournament was visible. He attended nine games with an average of 7.3 points. That appearance was the only time he was in the USA squad in big competitions. Iso Joe was called for a 14-players roster in 2021 for FIBA 2022 AmeriCup qualification. His remarkable result was scoring  11 points, making 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks in a 96-75  victory against Mexico in that qualifications.

We can conclude that the first association with Joe Johnson is passion. Wherever he played, he influenced that team with commitment and dedication as his main principles. His skills were desirable for many coaches in NBA, and his personality suited perfectly Big3 fireball. Iso Joe put his talent in service of hard work and it worked well for him. Johnson realized that talent without training hard every day is useless. That’s the main message I wanted to share with you throughout this story.