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Matter's Top 30: AJ #30
Posted on: March 18, 2020 at 15:47:01 CT
FIJItiger MU
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https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/matter-s-best-of-mizzou-no-arthur-johnson/article_63c1c481-300d-52ee-948d-72b3e844abe7.html
I had him #14 All Time for MU basketball, which obviously is only 1 sport and covers a different timeframe.
# 14 - Arthur Johnson
Letterman - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Dock was a 6'9 and at times 275 pound center who was a starter from day 1 as a Tiger. Blessed with tremendous hands and a superior shot blocking ability, AJ would develop into a one of the best post players in program history. His first year at MU he had a season high of 17 against CU and set the freshman record with 19 boards in the rematch in Boulder. Against Stetson he would block 8 shots to set a new school record, and on the year finish with 65 blocks to demolish the previous single season record set by Stipo at 56. He would also lead MU in rebounding at 7.8 boards, becoming the first Tiger freshman to do so since Stan Ray in 1976, as well as finish 3rd on the team in scoring at 9.0 ppg. His 15 points would lead the Tigers against Georgia in their first NCAA tourney victory in 6 years. He would earn Honorable Mention All Conference as well as make the Conference All Freshman Team.
As a sophomore he developed into one of the top post players in the country, one who was nearly unstoppable if he established good position down low (unfortunately the Tigers strategy seemed to always be to limit that from happening). Against Depaul he would score 20 points and add 18 rebounds and would have 23 points and 15 boards against KSU. Johnson would break his own shot block record with 71 on the season, and after just two years would already rank 2nd all time at MU. He recorded 18 points and 14 rebounds in a win over 12th-ranked Oklahoma State that helped the Tigers sneak into the NCAA Tournament field as an at large bid. AJ would come up big in the NCAA tournament with a 14 point/14 rebound game in a victory over UCLA to advance the Tigers to their 4th Elite Eight, ultimately losing to OU. After avging 12.2 ppg and 7.9 boards he was tabbed by Digger Phelps as the “most improved player in the country” and earned honorable mention All Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors.
As a junior, with both Gilbert and Rush gone, AJ would become a focal point. Early in the season he would become the MU all time blocks leader with 5 against Valpo, then had 23 points and 11 boards in the Tigers route of Memphis as well as a game-high 24 points and 12 boards against USC. He was spectacular against Baylor scoring 30 points and grabbing 15 boards as well as scoring 14 points and pulling down 17 boards against KSU. The Tigers would qualify for the NCAA tournament as an at large big for the third time in AJ's career, and in two games he would avg 26.0 points and 14.5 points per contest. He would lead the conference in double doubles with 19, and finished the season with avges of 16.1 ppg and 9.6 rebounds, the 316 boards on the season are the 3rd highest single season total in program history. He would earn second team all conference as well as 3rd team All American and represent the US in the Pan Am Games where coach Izzo would proclaim him to be the best player on the squad.
His senior season opened with him on the Wooden Preseason All American team and with MU at #5. Johnson was picked by the media as the conference preseason player of the year. But though both AJ and his classmate Paulding would have great individual seasons, one of the most talented Tiger teams ever had what may be the most disappointing season in program history. In the final year at Hearnes, talk was in sending the building off with a final four. But when Clemons's had troubles in the offseason and was ultimately dismissed from the team, it left a loaded roster with no point guard and a staff that was woefully in over their heads. In a season with few highlights, MU did manage to defeat 21-2 OSU (ranked #6 at the time) on the strength of 29 points and 13 rebounds from AJ. In his final home game and the final game ever played at Hearnes, AJ would tally 37 points but MU would lose 84-82 on a slop basket by ku in final seconds. MU would finish 16-14 and participate in the NIT for the first time since 1998. Johnson would make 2nd team all conference, and lead the team with a 16.4 ppg avg and 7.5 rebounds becoming the first Tiger in history to lead the team in rebounding 4 different seasons. He even led the club in steals from the center position.
No Tiger has played in or won more NCAA tournament games than AJ, and he is second all time in postseason points scored and first in both postseason rebounds and blocked shots. Only 1 player in MU history has had more double doubles than AJ's 44. He is MU's 5th all time leading scorer with 1,759 points, and only 2 Tigers have made more baskets than him in their career. He is the All Time leading rebounder in program history with 1,083 boards. He owns absolutely every blocked shot record, including being 91 ahead of the second place finisher with 245.
I had him #14 All Time for MU basketball, which obviously is only 1 sport and covers a different timeframe.
# 14 - Arthur Johnson
Letterman - 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Dock was a 6'9 and at times 275 pound center who was a starter from day 1 as a Tiger. Blessed with tremendous hands and a superior shot blocking ability, AJ would develop into a one of the best post players in program history. His first year at MU he had a season high of 17 against CU and set the freshman record with 19 boards in the rematch in Boulder. Against Stetson he would block 8 shots to set a new school record, and on the year finish with 65 blocks to demolish the previous single season record set by Stipo at 56. He would also lead MU in rebounding at 7.8 boards, becoming the first Tiger freshman to do so since Stan Ray in 1976, as well as finish 3rd on the team in scoring at 9.0 ppg. His 15 points would lead the Tigers against Georgia in their first NCAA tourney victory in 6 years. He would earn Honorable Mention All Conference as well as make the Conference All Freshman Team.
As a sophomore he developed into one of the top post players in the country, one who was nearly unstoppable if he established good position down low (unfortunately the Tigers strategy seemed to always be to limit that from happening). Against Depaul he would score 20 points and add 18 rebounds and would have 23 points and 15 boards against KSU. Johnson would break his own shot block record with 71 on the season, and after just two years would already rank 2nd all time at MU. He recorded 18 points and 14 rebounds in a win over 12th-ranked Oklahoma State that helped the Tigers sneak into the NCAA Tournament field as an at large bid. AJ would come up big in the NCAA tournament with a 14 point/14 rebound game in a victory over UCLA to advance the Tigers to their 4th Elite Eight, ultimately losing to OU. After avging 12.2 ppg and 7.9 boards he was tabbed by Digger Phelps as the “most improved player in the country” and earned honorable mention All Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors.
As a junior, with both Gilbert and Rush gone, AJ would become a focal point. Early in the season he would become the MU all time blocks leader with 5 against Valpo, then had 23 points and 11 boards in the Tigers route of Memphis as well as a game-high 24 points and 12 boards against USC. He was spectacular against Baylor scoring 30 points and grabbing 15 boards as well as scoring 14 points and pulling down 17 boards against KSU. The Tigers would qualify for the NCAA tournament as an at large big for the third time in AJ's career, and in two games he would avg 26.0 points and 14.5 points per contest. He would lead the conference in double doubles with 19, and finished the season with avges of 16.1 ppg and 9.6 rebounds, the 316 boards on the season are the 3rd highest single season total in program history. He would earn second team all conference as well as 3rd team All American and represent the US in the Pan Am Games where coach Izzo would proclaim him to be the best player on the squad.
His senior season opened with him on the Wooden Preseason All American team and with MU at #5. Johnson was picked by the media as the conference preseason player of the year. But though both AJ and his classmate Paulding would have great individual seasons, one of the most talented Tiger teams ever had what may be the most disappointing season in program history. In the final year at Hearnes, talk was in sending the building off with a final four. But when Clemons's had troubles in the offseason and was ultimately dismissed from the team, it left a loaded roster with no point guard and a staff that was woefully in over their heads. In a season with few highlights, MU did manage to defeat 21-2 OSU (ranked #6 at the time) on the strength of 29 points and 13 rebounds from AJ. In his final home game and the final game ever played at Hearnes, AJ would tally 37 points but MU would lose 84-82 on a slop basket by ku in final seconds. MU would finish 16-14 and participate in the NIT for the first time since 1998. Johnson would make 2nd team all conference, and lead the team with a 16.4 ppg avg and 7.5 rebounds becoming the first Tiger in history to lead the team in rebounding 4 different seasons. He even led the club in steals from the center position.
No Tiger has played in or won more NCAA tournament games than AJ, and he is second all time in postseason points scored and first in both postseason rebounds and blocked shots. Only 1 player in MU history has had more double doubles than AJ's 44. He is MU's 5th all time leading scorer with 1,759 points, and only 2 Tigers have made more baskets than him in their career. He is the All Time leading rebounder in program history with 1,083 boards. He owns absolutely every blocked shot record, including being 91 ahead of the second place finisher with 245.
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Matter's Top 30: AJ #30 - FIJItiger MU - 3/18 15:47:01