"They never stopped moving" - Joe Johnson once named three toughest players he ever had to guard

Joe Johnson may not have been known as the NBA’s most fearsome defender, but over his 18-year career, he was a serious presence on the perimeter. His quickness, paired with a 6’7″ frame, gave him both agility and length, enough to disrupt scorers or, at the very least, throw them off their rhythm.

Still, Johnson once named the three players who gave him constant trouble, so much so that guarding them drained him physically to the point where he had little left to contribute offensively.

Johnson on the toughest opponents he faced

When fans think of Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, the first thing that comes to mind is their stellar three-point shooting. But over their respective careers, both of them were such versatile scorers that they scored from the paint and charged the rim, which constantly kept defenders on their toes. No matter their approach, what made them most dangerous was their relentless movement.

They never stopped moving, curling around screens, or shifting into open spaces, leaving defenders like Johnson with almost no chance to keep up.

Rip Hamilton, who was one of the most important offensive catalysts for the Detroit Pistons to win the championship in 2004 and averaged 18.4 points across nine seasons for them, fell into the same category, as per Johnson.

As a result, during his appearance on “All The Smoke” podcast, Joe once admitted how off-the-ball movement of all three scorers was so elite that he rarely got a chance to use his strength or height to throw them off. Instead, when playing against them, he would often drain his entire energy only to defend them.

“The toughest guys for me to guard were guys like Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and Rip Hamilton. It was too much for me, man,” Johnson said with a huge smile on his face. “Chasing off them picks, they never stopped moving. Man, look, you guys spend so much energy defensively, it takes away your offense, that’s the hardest part.”

Allen, Miller and Hamilton set the stage for modern-day guards

When considering scorers like Allen, Miller and Hamilton, it was easy for fans to get caught up in their silky jumpers and iconic shooting form. But what often went unnoticed was their basketball IQ – the sheer way they constantly read defenses and refused to stand still. They understood defenders would never willingly give them clean looks, so they kept running, circling the floor until one well-timed screen created just enough daylight to rise up and knock down a shot.

Ultimately, that style of play is something modern greats like Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving have mastered. Both thrive on getting into shooting motion immediately after a teammate’s screen, using even the slightest space to keep defenders trailing behind. They elevated their game by adding unstoppable handles in their bag, but constant movement was the foundation of their game when they came into the league.

So, clearly, Johnson’s admission showed which players laid out the blueprint for the current generation to succeed.

Johnson was a pretty good space creator as well, but he relied on his handles and one on one ability which ultimately earned him his famous Iso Joe nickname.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“They never stopped moving” – Joe Johnson once named three toughest players he ever had to guard

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