Only if the pain is too great, Puff Johnson’s sprained toe will keep him off the floor Tuesday night when he returns to Petersen Events Center with his North Carolina teammates.
But coach Roy Williams has high hopes for Puff — born Donovan Christopher Johnson — as he progresses through the Tar Heels’ program.
“Puff is going to be a really, really good player for us, long-term. I don’t know if it’s going to be this year,” Williams said. “Love him to death. He’s going to be a big-time player.”
Johnson, a 6-foot-8 freshman, is the brother of former Pitt and North Carolina player Cam Johnson, who’s in his second season with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Cam Johnson is a graduate of Our Lady of Sacred Heart.
Puff Johnson also attended OLSH before leading Moon to the 2019 PIAA 5A championship and the WPIAL title game at the Pete. He was named Tribune-Review Player of the Year.
Johnson played his senior season at Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, finishing his scholastic career with 1,960 points and a 103-19 record.
Nicknamed by his mother, Amy, for his love of Cocoa Puffs cereal, Johnson has played in all but one of North Carolina’s 15 games this season, totaling 15 points.
Older brother Cam became one of the nation’s top 3-point shooters after he transferred from Pitt to North Carolina. In his final season as a Tar Heel (2018-19), he shot 45.7% from beyond the 3-point arc to lead the ACC.
“Cam is what you call a late bloomer,” Williams said. “Who knows if Puff is going to do that? He may develop even quicker than Cam did.”
