PHOENIX — Denver Nuggets forward Cam Johnson didn’t need directions when he and the team arrived in Arizona to face the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Johnson, who spent the first three and a half seasons of his career with the Suns after debuting in 2019, has continued to call the Valley home in the offseason. Despite being traded to the Brooklyn Nets and later to the Nuggets in recent years, the forward hasn’t forgotten where he started.
“I just love it,” Johnson said post-game on Saturday to Burn City Sports’ J Russell. “I love this environment. I love the people here. I love this arena.”
As he has made his journey through the NBA, the Nuggets forward’s roots in the Valley have extended beyond his own. His brother, Braylon, attends and plays for Grand Canyon and his other brother visits often.
Johnson’s mother also works in Phoenix as a school nurse at Palomino Elementary School.
“It’s just always fun to get back here and play in front of these fans,” said Johnson.
During his time with the Suns, Johnson averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists and was an integral part of the team’s run to the NBA Finals in 2021.
Many Suns fans also enjoy seeing Johnson return, though some are disappointed the team traded him rather than keep him as he continued to develop in the league.
“I will always be a Cam fan,” Emmanuel Jaurigue writes on Burn City’s Facebook. “Never wanted him gone.”
“I wondered where Cam was,” Peggy Ferringer DeJulia also writes. “I wish Cam and Bridges never left the Suns.”
Saturday’s matchup in Phoenix showcased the former Suns’ continued connection to the Valley, even if he dons a different name on his jersey.