Amanda Johnson

Amanda Nicole Johnson (born April 21, 1990) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Northside Wizards of the NBL1 North. She played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks before being drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2012 WNBA draft. She began her professional career in Bulgaria and Switzerland before taking four years away from basketball. In 2018, she was named Queensland Basketball League MVP with the Ipswich Force and then debuted in the Women's National Basketball League for the Sydney Uni Flames. She won an NBL1 North championship with the Northside Wizards in 2023 and was named NBL1 North MVP in 2024.

Early life Johnson was born in Santa Rosa, California. She started playing basketball at the age of six, encouraged by her parents who both played. She attended Maria Carrillo High School, where she played four years for both the basketball team and the soccer team. She scored over 2,000 points during her high school career for the Pumas. As a senior, she led Maria Carrillo to a 28–2 overall record and a North Bay League Championship with a 14–0 record while averaging 24.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

College career As a freshman at Oregon in 2008–09, Johnson averaged 7.9 points and a team-leading 5.4 rebounds per game. She was named Pac-10 All-Freshman Honorable Mention and became the first freshman in program history since Bev Smith (1978–79) to lead the Ducks in both rebounding (163) and steals (42). She scored a season-high 18 points in 77–69 win over Washington on February 14, 2009. She became the first Oregon women's player in program history to be named to the Capital One Academic All-America team on three occasions (first team: 2012, 2011; second team: 2010). She was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic First Team for the third straight year in 2012 and was also the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2012.

Johnson made her professional debut in the 2012–13 season with WBC Dunav Ruse in the Bulgarian League. She helped Ruse win the league championship as well as the Bulgarian Cup title, earning Cup MVP honors. In 31 league games, she averaged 14.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. She also averaged 19.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks in four Eurocup games.

For the 2013–14 season, Johnson joined Fizzy Riva Basket of the Swiss League. In 22 games, she averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

On July 6, 2018, Johnson signed with the Sydney Uni Flames of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the 2018–19 season. In 21 games, she averaged 3.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. In 19 games, she averaged 23.0 points, 13.4 rebounds per game, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Johnson was set to re-join the Force for the 2020 NBL1 season prior to the season cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January 2021, Johnson signed with the South West Metro Pirates of the NBL1 North for the 2021 season. In 12 games, she averaged 23.0 points, 14.67 rebounds, 2.92 assists and 1.92 steals per game.

In February 2023, Johnson signed with the Northside Wizards for the 2023 NBL1 North season. She helped the Wizards win the NBL1 North championship, winning 2–0 in the grand final series over the Rockhampton Cyclones. In 23 games, she averaged 17.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. She was named NBL1 North MVP and earned league All-Star Five honors. In 19 games, she averaged 20.47 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.74 assists and 1.95 steals per game.

Personal life Johnson the daughter of Erik and Lisa Johnson, and has two younger brothers, Brian and Curtis.