Miami Heat Rumors
Johnson, 29, is an imposing 6-8, 250-pound forward who has averaged 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds over his seven year career with the Bulls, Kings, Grizzlies and Raptors. He’s also a second-degree back belt, who is 21-0 in kickboxing and 7-0 in mixed martial arts bouts, his last coming after his freshman year at Wake Forest. “There are not too many guys I run up on that I might think twice about, but he’s one of the guys,” Haslem said Friday after the Heat completed its fourth day of camp at the Atlantis Paradise Resort.
“Obviously, what he’s been able to do and the background he has, I have a lot of respect for him. I’m sure if something ever happens I’d love to have him on my side than on the other side. It’s good to have another guy that doesn’t mind to get his hands dirty at times.”
His father, Willie, a former Marine, is a seven-time world kickboxing champion and master, and his mother, Vi, is a five-time national kickboxing champ. Each of Johnson’s eight siblings are black belts of varying degrees.
“I grew up with my head held high,” he continued. “Everywhere I went my head was held high. I wasn’t afraid of anybody. I was never afraid of confrontation. But I was never the aggressor. I never picked on anyone. That’s another thing it teaches you — just to let things go. If you know you can beat someone then you tend to let them win the argument and walk away because you might have just saved them from a broken nose or something.”
Manny Navarro: I’m told by #Heat spokesman Riley tried to alert @Chris Bosh that team was no longer working toward his return. That was prior to media day
