Charles Barkley once said, “Golf is fun.” NBA players swapping the hardwood for the fairway isn’t uncommon. The names of players like Michael Jordan, Ray Allen, and Stephen Curry have become synonymous with the sport for their impressive golf games. However, not everyone has a good time with the sport. For a 15-year NBA player, who is also known for his martial arts background and versatile play, his first foray into golf turned into a humbling experience for him.

The current Indiana Pacers power forward James Johnson had once found himself amidst a disastrous golfing trip with Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen that went hilariously awry. But how?

James Johnson’s little adventure in Golf

Midway through the recent episode of The OGs podcast, NBA veteran Udonis Haslem raised one unknown fact that Johnson is a good golfer. Now when asked about the same, Johnson gave a hilarious answer. “I went to that event (Golf Event) with Scotty Pipp and Toni Kukoc and I was garbage bro,” stated Johnson, via The OGs podcast. He went on to share that upon watching his gameplay, no one would take him seriously, and he was even asked to pick up his balls and get back to the car like a child. 

He further revealed in the podcast that when he was in Chicago, he had taken a one-week class from the golf legend Arnold Palmer. His only mistake? The former Bulls player thought that after taking a few lessons on how to grip the golf club, he was ready as a golfer. But as mentioned before, it didn’t turn out to be so.

This traumatic golfing trip gave Johnson a reason to become good at golf. “Imma be the best at golfing. Golfing can make you miss the perspective of what’s real…Basketball was the real deal like you supposed to be putting in extra shots getting in extra work whatever. I’m over here trying to get my chip game,” said Johnson. The power forward also gave a valuable tip that practice is what makes golfing easy. 

It seems like Johnson really took on the lessons that he learned from his experience and became a good golfer since Haslem mentions that during the pandemic he had a game with Johnson and KO, and he was given a hard time by the duo. This was all about James Johnson’s golf stint but did you know that the power forward had a stint in another sport also?

James Johnson’s short stint in the MMA

James Johnson, known primarily for his NBA career, also had a brief and intriguing foray into the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). Prior to his 15-year NBA career, he had been a part of seven MMA matches and also had a record of 20-0 in kickboxing.

The demands of the sport included grappling, striking, and ground fighting, which required a skill set that differed significantly from basketball. Johnson had a second-degree black belt in martial arts and also had his first MMA match at the age of 18 where he dominated his opponent in just 97 seconds which led to him earning the nickname “Little Ali” for his fighting resembled that of Muhammad Ali.

Not only Johnson but his whole family comes from a martial arts background. Previously, the Pacers player had also shown interest in fighting in UFC after his NBA career. Even though Johnson today is known for his basketball dominance, he has also left a mark in the MMA world.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger