Finally feeling at home
James Johnson happy to have stability in his life with the Heat
PINECREST — It was a first for James Johnson in his eightyear NBA career.
The well-travelled power forward had played for four different teams, including two separate stints in Toronto. The constant shuffling caused him to rent homes that were already furnished because he was growing accustomed to short-term stays.
It all changed when he joined the Miami Heat last summer. He fell in love with South Florida so much he and his fianceé, Diana Issa, decided to decorate their house. They wanted to feel like residents, not drifters.
With Johnson signing a four-year, $60 million contract in July, it appears the once journeyman has finally found a true home.
“There are things you take for granted that you don’t really consider until it’s too late,” Johnson said. “Just trying to build an empire here in Miami is one of the dopest things I could even think about doing with my family.”
After being on the go so much of his career, Johnson is now in a place where trophies
and memorabilia hang from the walls of his Pinecrest home. There’s even a shrine in the living room full of moments and paintings from his first season in Miami.
“Just to call a place like Miami home is one of the most gratifying things that I can think of,” Johnson said. “I was happy to hit those other places. I learned a lot, but I was very happy to find a place like Miami so late in my career. I wouldn’t have wanted to come here during those times when I was immature or not focused on what my career was and happened to lose this opportunity. I’m glad I came here at the right time.”
Like most, Johnson, 30, enjoys what South Florida has to offer. The beaches. The weather. The food. The culture. But what stands out the most about his current situation is the stability.
He had never been on a firstname basis with the mailman until now. Neighbors wave as he walks his sons down the block. His 1-year-old, Harlem, has toys scattered across the floor and a motorized jeep parked by the pool, a sign they are here for the long haul.
The experience is much different from the past. Each summer was filled with uncertainty. His home was full of boxes, always ready to be shipped to another city. Family life was left at the mercy of the team’s general manager.
“In the summer, you’re not thinking like, ‘Oh, we can make plans for the summer,” said Issa, who has been dating Johnson for three years. “We’re thinking, ‘Where are we going to go [next]? What’s going to happen?’ Now, it’s nice. You’re set. You’re good. You can move forward.’ ”
Having a steady zip code has benefited Johnson in the offseason. In year’s past, he spent the summers adjusting to a new coach, mapping his way to the practice facility or learning the new surroundings. The only objective the past few months was training to improve on his breakout season. Last year Johnson averaged 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists, all career highs.
“Of course, it takes a lot of stress out,” Johnson said. “We can definitely focus on this offseason and things like that, instead of wondering if I’m going to get picked up by another team. Staying here during the summer knowing that I had a chance to stay with this team for a long period of time, it just made it easier.”
Johnson has been in the gym daily, sometimes twice a day, during the offseason. His fiancee often accompanies him to workouts, although she tags along less nowadays because she is six months pregnant. Johnson, who is trained in mixed martial arts, is excited about the latest addition to the family because it gives Harlem “somebody to beat up.”
“Being on the bike when she’s going on the treadmill makes it easier for me,” Johnson said. “… It’s great to have her support. Sometimes, it’s Sunday and I’m like, ‘I don’t want to go.’ She’ll be like, ‘Come on.’ We try to make working out as family oriented as we can.”
A similar atmosphere with his Heat teammates is what made remaining here so special. He is already eagerly awaiting another season of quirky sayings from coach Erik Spoelstra, the bravado of Dion Waiters and playing alongside new teammates Kelly Olynk and rookie Bam Adebayo.
The only thing that would please Johnson more is ending his career in Miami, which he would call the greatest moment since being drafted in 2009.
“I know deep down how bad I wanted to stay here, how I loved the culture and loved the team,” Johnson said. “I love Coach Spo. I love [team president] Pat Riley. You don’t get too many opportunities to say you love your coach in the NBA or you love your GM … Even if I had to go somewhere else, I’d still appreciate what they did for me to allow me to become a top-notch contract.”