By Staff Writer Tyler Riley
ClevelandOne of Shelby County’s own has inked a deal with the NBA, the most prestigious basketball league in the world, taking them from the depths of Alabaster to the big stage.
Following last week’s NBA Draft, Auburn forward and former Thompson standout Chaney Johnson became one of four Tigers to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers organization.
After two rounds of selection, Johnson, guard Miles Kelly, and center Dylan Cardwell were all left undrafted. He has a one-year deal with an unguaranteed minimum pay.
Before the regular season starts, the Cavaliers may decide to make the contract a two-way one if Johnson does well. On the other hand, if he is waived prior to the start of the season, the team is not required to pay him.
Johnson averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during his five years at Auburn and the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
Johnson only started five games during his two seasons on the Plains, but he was crucial in the Tigers’ and head coach Bruce Pearl’s run to their second Final Four in franchise history.
Johnson excelled at Thompson High School under then-head coach Dru Powell before going on to play collegiately. As their top scorer with 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game as a senior, he was chosen for the All-County Second Team in 2020.
After graduating from high school without receiving any offers from elite institutions, the Alabaster native signed with UAH in 2020 to play for head coach John Shulman. In that same year, he was named the 2023 Alabama Sports Writers Association Small College Athlete of the Year.
In his third season of collegiate basketball, Johnson then had the chance to travel to Auburn University to play the Tigers in an exhibition game, where he finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
After that season, he went via the transfer portal and had offers from a number of schools before deciding on Auburn and emerging as the team’s toughest worker, as many have said.
In December 2024, Johnson received his marketing degree from Auburn’s Harbert College of Business.
In the 2024–2025 season, the Cavaliers finished 64–18 and lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
