Johnson went undrafted in the 2000 NBA draft. In August 2000, he signed a one-year deal with JDA Dijon Basket of the LNB Pro A. After a disappointing start to the season, he was released by the club in late 2000. Returning home, he played briefly for the short-lived San Diego Wildfire of the American Basketball Association, then met a Finnish coach at a workout camp in Los Angeles. The coach liked what he saw and signed him for the 2001–02 season. Johnson went on to average 26 points and 10 rebounds per game for Pyrbasket Tampere.