(St. Louis, MO) – Another Missouri Valley Conference player is getting his chance to play in the NBA. Missouri State’s Alize Johnson was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in Thursday’s second round.
Last season Valparaiso’s Alec Peters was drafted 54th by the Phoenix Suns and Thursday Johnson was selected 50th by the Pacers. Former Loyola Rambler Milton Doyle and Northern Iowa Panther Jeremy Morgan also signed two-way contracts with NBA teams last year. Loyola graduate Donte Ingram signed a free-agent deal with Chicago late Thursday night.
Johnson landed on the Valley’s all-conference team in each of his seasons with the Bears. He led the MVC in rebounding during those two seasons. The 6’9 forward was second nationally collecting 8.48 defensive rebounds per game and recorded 20 double-doubles while averaging 15 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
The Frank Phillips transfer is the first Bear to be drafted since Winston Garland was selected by Milwaukee in 1987. He is the twelfth Missouri State player picked in the NBA draft.
It was last summer when Johnson exploded on the scene becoming the MVP of the Adidas Nations Event. Last September Paul Lusk told me that Johnson’s talent was exceeded by his work ethic. Lusk says the greatest quality that the Pennsylvania native possessed was his passion to compete.
During seven of Johnson’s double-doubles, he tallied 20 or more points and against North Dakota State he scored 23 points and grabbed 20 rebounds.
We asked Valley fans which MVC player would have the best NBA career. The early results were split between Peters and Alize Johnson.
Who will have a better NBA career?
— Harry Schroeder (@FatherHarry1) June 22, 2018
The Pacers’ View
Pacers’ President of Operations told Pacers.com that Johnson is someone they’ve been looking at for a long time.
“Alize’s a bulldog,” said Pritchard. “We’ve known about him for a couple years. He’s a guy that if you told him to go eat glass, he’d say, ‘Do you want salt or pepper?‘”
Pritchard does not expect him to play next year, but thinks he can develop with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G League.
Do Good
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Playing the point at @UEAthletics_MBB is @EKUHoops transfer Tayshawn Comer. The @ValleyHoops squad opens its season on Tuesday, but we wanted to get to know Comer now. Here is our conversation. #ValleyRunsDeep #NCAAHoops
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