Former Cal State San Bernardino basketball standout Ivan Johnson has agreed to a deal to play in China next season, according to his agent.

Johnson, who played the past two seasons with the Hawks, will play for Zhejiang China next season said agent Jeremiah Haylett. It is the same team Eddy Curry played for last season.

Along with a higher salary, China’s shorter season was also appealing to Johnson as the CBA’s regular season is finished by early March — still allowing plenty of time to catch on with an NBA team for the last few months of the season.

Johnson was an unrestricted free agent after the Hawks did not make the forward/center a qualifying offer this off-season. He appeared in 125 games, including five starts, for the Hawks over the past two seasons. He averaged 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.8 minutes a game.

Johnson, 29, was a popular player in his two years in Atlanta, noted for his hustle and hard-nosed defensive presence.

The 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward played for the Coyotes in 2007.

Share this