NEW YORK — For Wes Johnson, Thursday night’s NBA draft is still about uncertainty.

 

Even as he’s nearly a lock to get picked within the first five selections, he still has that anxiety. Jokingly, he says he’ll be worried if he slips past the No. 1 overall pick. Not so jokingly, he admits to the apprehension that would accompany a slip past No. 5.

 

About the only thing Johnson is sure of is after the draft. Those sure things are presents for his mother and sister. For him? A very certain car.

 

‘CL65,’ Johnson said. ‘Mercedes-Benz.’

 

What Johnson does know is that he’s worked out for three teams: the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Speculation has centered on Johnson going to one of those three teams. Considering they hold, respectively, the Nos. 2-4 picks in Thursday’s NBA draft (7:30 p.m., ESPN), Johnson can reasonably expect the kind of payday that will lead to a shiny new Mercedes in the near future.

 

After the Washington Wizards likely make Kentucky guard John Wall the No. 1 pick, Johnson’s stomach can start to flutter with excitement.

 

 ‘It is what it is,’ Johnson said of the nervousness that will go along with him Thursday night. Whenever I hear my name, I’ll be a nervous wreck.’

 

When he will get to be that nervous wreck in the 15-minute span has seemed to change by the minute in the past few days.

 

‘Wes will be successful wherever he goes because he has a skill set that translates to the NBA,’ Syracuse assistant coach Rob Murphy said. ‘He’s a high-level NBA athlete, he rebounds the ball extremely well and he can really shoot the ball from long distance.

 

‘He still has work to do, but right now, right away, those things will translate to the NBA and allow him to contribute immediately for whoever drafts him.’

 

Though it still appears the Sixers will draft Ohio State forward Evan Turner by most accounts, there is still an outside shot Johnson could go to Philadelphia at the No. 2 slot. Johnson stirred things up a bit Saturday, impressing the organization and new head coach Doug Collins in a workout. Johnson wowed Collins in a workout that consisted of isolation, separation and pick-and-roll drills, the former Syracuse forward said.

‘I just went in there and tried to kill the workout. That’s the mentality I had,’ Johnson said. ‘It’s time to prove yourself. I’ve been the underdog my whole life, so every workout, I tried to go in and kill it. I’ve got that mentality, and I’m going to keep that mentality when I get to the next level.’

 

More likely destinations are New Jersey or Minnesota, and for the 6-foot-7, 205-pound Johnson, there are interesting possibilities that come with each stop. 

 

In New Jersey, there is the opportunity of working with a nucleus of young stars: point guard Devin Harris, forward Terrence Williams and center Brook Lopez. There is a new coach: Avery Johnson. Perhaps most glowingly of all, there is a new, billionaire owner: Mikhail Prokhorov.

 

In his New Jersey workout, Johnson said the team emphasized defense, keying in on Johnson’s man-to-man skills, considering he just finished a full season playing in the 2-3 zone almost exclusively under Jim Boeheim at Syracuse.

 

‘They definitely have a lot of talent on the team,’ Johnson said. ‘With Brook down low, with Terrence on the wing and Devin and Courtney (Lee) and all those guys. They have a lot of talent on the team.’

 

In Minnesota lies the possibility of playing with former Syracuse teammate Jonny Flynn. There is the opportunity to play for head coach Kurt Rambis, whose eight championship rings impress Johnson.

 

And there is Rambis’ triangle offense, which Johnson said he could envision himself picking up rather quickly after running through drills in the offense during his workout with the Timberwolves.

 

‘(Flynn) said that’d be right up (my) alley,’ Johnson said. ‘They had me doing sets when I was in Minnesota in the triangle. Just from the stuff they had me doing, I was loving it. I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be good.’

 

Johnson said he doesn’t have a preference. Hinting at possible favorites, he singled out and offered flattering approval of both the Nets and Timberwolves.

 

‘Just looking at the rosters, I think New Jersey would be a good fit, Minnesota would be a good fit,’ Johnson said. ‘Either one of those teams would be good.’

 

But in there still lies the uncertainty.

 

Case in point: when asked his ideal landing spot, Johnson replied, ‘Somewhere warm.’

 

Reminded that none of Philadelphia, New Jersey or Minnesota fit that bill in the long winter months of the NBA season, Johnson could only flash his trademark smile — the sure thing that will come whenever NBA commissioner David Stern calls his name Thursday night.

 

Said Johnson: ‘My dream is to be in the NBA. Whenever I get called, I’ll be fine.’

 

bplogiur@syr.edu

Sports Editor Andrew L. John contributed reporting to this article.

Published on June 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm