Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game for the season, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter.
Po dveh sezonah v univerzitetni ligi, ko je povprečno dosegel 17,1 točke, 7,6 skoka in 7,9 podaje na tekmo, je bil izbran na naboru lige NBA za leto 1979.