Ben Simmons made his much-anticipated return to the Brooklyn Nets (19-27) on Monday night, and former UNC basketball forward Cam Johnson helped ensure the team demonstrated what it’s capable of with their former No. 1 overall selection pick back in action. They won 147-114 at home against the Utah Jazz (24-24).
Simmons came close to a triple-double in only 18 minutes off the bench, scoring 10 points without missing a shot, grabbing eight rebounds and 11 assists.
Johnson, the No. 11 overall pick in 2019 after two seasons as a Tar Heel, finished with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 30 minutes as a starter, shooting 6-for-10 from the field, 3-for-4 outside the arc, and 2-for-2 at the free throw line.
Cam Slammin' Jam pic.twitter.com/6f8hACZ448
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 30, 2024
Between his last three games, the 27-year-old has made eight of his 13 attempts from downtown while committing only two turnovers.
Cameron Johnson, in his fifth season as a pro and his first full season in Brooklyn, is averaging 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists as a full-time starter. He’s shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 40.4 percent from three, and 72.4 percent from the free throw line.
He and the Nets, who have won two straight and are presently ranked No. 10 in the Eastern Conference, will seek to build on their performance against the Jazz when they host the Phoenix Suns (27-20) at 8:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Brooklyn’s other UNC basketball talent, center Day’Ron Sharpe, is still out due to a knee injury acquired a few weeks ago.
