DeMarco Johnson doesn’t even have a locker. The Knicks’ 24-year-old rookie dresses in a triangular nook between two rows of wooden cubbies in the Knicks’ locker room.
“All in good time,” Johnson says with a smile.
The Charlotte, N.C., native who grew up modeling his game after former Hornet Larry Johnson played his first minutes in the NBA on Saturday and may get more time this week as Larry Johnson, Marcus Camby and Patrick Ewing are either out or limited by injury.
“He has to be ready,” Knick coach Jeff Van Gundy said before last night’s game against Dallas. “He has a knack for scoring, but his awareness and ability to rebound defensively he has to work on. He’s a little undersized for the power-forward spot, but he can score from the post.”
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Johnson, however, is not trying to finesse his way to an increased role. He wants to master the fundamentals before he takes it to the hoop.
“I need to get up and down the floor, work hard and get the ball to the right people, you know, do the little things,” Johnson said. “And, basically, not make any mistakes.”
Johnson has a friendly, chatty manner and is truly thrilled with his place on the Knicks, even though he was a big star in Italy last year and now is hardly more than a practice player.
On Saturday, he was given a Knick uniform just 10 minutes before game time and was overwhelmed by the reality of getting to play at the Garden.
“For 13 games, all I did was ride the bike,” Johnson said. “And then all of a sudden I’m going in there.
“Gosh, to get into my first game and get my first points and win, it felt like nothing else.”