Atlanta Hawks: ‘Old rookie’ Ivan Johnson vows to keep his cool after past blowups

Hope you had a good holiday, blog people. The Hawks were back in action today after a break and that means I am, too . . .

Today was the first time I got to ask Larry Drew about the decision to waive Keith Benson, the team’s only draft pick in June.

“It really came down to the progress of Ivan Johnson,” Drew said. “To be perfectly honest, we didn’t know he would come on the way he did. He’s had, not a good training camp, he’s had a phenomenal training camp. His motor is something you can’t teach and he brings that motor every practice. You guys see the way he plays in games. He just plays hard and there’s not enough guys like that.”

Johnson, 27, said he wasn’t sure he’d ever make the league but, before his mother died in 2007, he promised her he would keep trying.

“As you get older your dream starts to fade after a while,” he said. “You have just got to keep pushing, man. That’s what I kept doing.”

Fans at Atlanta’s exhibition game against Charlotte Thursday seemed to take a liking to Johnson. He also was a popular topic of discussion among my Twitter followers and my blog people.

Johnson said he wasn’t aware of the support from fans but appreciates that they like his high-energy style.

“That’s how you’ve got to be,” he said. “I’m an old rookie. Being 27, I’ve got to put in a lot of work.”

Johnson is an intimidating dude–the joke among Hawks staff was who would tell Johnson he was cut if the day came. He’s built like a linebacker and always seems to look angry. One day in practice Johnson came barreling down the lane with the ball and Tracy McGrady wisely stepped aside.

“Ain’t no [bleeping] way I’m getting in front of him,” T-Mac said.

Johnson said he’s not as mean as he looks (”I’m really a nice, cool dude”) but his temper had hurt his chances of getting an NBA shot after he had good production in the D-League.

Johnson was banned by the Korean Basketball League last year after what an official described as “a record of frequent misconducts” culminating with an obscene gesture at a game official. Johnson also was reportedly run off from Oregon for “anger management” issues and last season was benched by the Erie BayHawks after earning too many technical fouls.

“That’s just my emotions for the game,” Johnson said. “If I feel I’m being cheated, my emotions, they go crazy sometimes. That’s what I’ve been working on. I try to keep my cool. As long as I keep my cool, I’m good.”

Obviously there won’t be much tolerance for such antics from a back-of-the-rotation guy for the Hawks. Johnson said he’s motivated to stay level-headed because he has a baby due in March.

“I have been working so hard to get here over the years,” he said. “Now that I’m here, ain’t no messing it up.”

Drew said the Hawks checked into Johnson’s background before signing him and are satisfied he won’t be a problem.

“He’s moved on and we feel good about moving on as well,” Drew said.

Practice report

• Jeff Teague (ankle) participated in practice and said he’s good to go for tomorrow: “It’s a little sore but it will be OK.’ Larry Drew said he wanted to see how Teague looked after practice but, remember, it was an injury that derailed Teague in camp last year so I’m thinking he won’t sit. “Not this time,” Teague said, smiling.
• Drew on the team’s depth: “We have added a lot to our bench from an experience standpoint and I think from a depth standpoint. I think it’s going to be a matter of us being healthy as much as we can. It may be a situation where have to use the bench a lot more than in the past.”
• The Hawks are in a better spot than those teams who had two weeks to throw together a lot of main cogs. Still, rotation guys McGrady and Vladmir Radmaonivic are new and Jannero Pargo and Willie Green are brand new.
• “They are still trying to learn what we do,” Drew said. “Do they have it down 100 percent? No. We have been trying to cram in a lot in a short period of time. I am sure heads are spinning a little bit right now. Once we get started with it I am sure they will adjust and become more comfortable.”
• Drew on nine games in 12 days, something that’s new for all of the Hawks except ‘99 lockout vets T-Mac and Jerry Stackhouse: “It’s going to be a true challenge from the standpoint of basketball and the travel as well. I’ve been preaching to the guys since Day 1 about taking care of themselves. It not only becomes a physical drain but a mental drain as well. It’s going to be important that we all get our proper rest and eat right.”
• Unlike Johnson, D-League refugee Donald Sloan figured his NBA shot would eventually come after the Kings cut him in camp last year: “With the amount of work I put in and the relationships I’ve built with coaches throughout draft process and last year in the D-League, I figured there was no way I could be denied this year. It kind of worked in my favor this year. I stayed positive throughout.”
• I wrote a story about Joe Johnson. You can read it here if you’d like.

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat