Jayce Johnson Reinforces Cedevita Olimpija Frontcourt
Ahead of the start of the 2026/27 season, Cedevita Olimpija has strengthened its frontcourt by signing 28-year-old American center Jayce Johnson. Johnson will bolster the team's presence in the paint and brings valuable international experience to Ljubljana.
Stozice Arena (Photo: Cedevita Olimpija/Ales Fevzer)
Standing 213 cm tall, Jayce Johnson arrives in Ljubljana after a successful season in Turkey with Manisa, where he averaged 9.1 points and 7.5 rebounds over 30 games. The American began his basketball career at the University of Utah before completing his collegiate career at the prestigious Marquette University. Since turning professional, he has played in Romania, Italy, the NBA G League, and most recently Turkey.
The 2026/27 campaign will mark Johnson's first season in Cedevita Olimpija's green-and-orange jersey. He is expected to strengthen the team's interior play as the club competes in the BKT EuroCup, the AdmiralBet ABA League, and domestic competitions.
"I'm very excited to begin a new chapter in my career. I've been using the offseason to work hard, and I'm confident I'm well prepared for the challenges that the new season will bring. I'm thrilled to become part of such a high-quality club as Cedevita Olimpija. I believe my skills, energy, and style of play can help the team, and together with the club and the city of Ljubljana, we can create something special. After a great experience in Manisa, I'm looking forward to this new challenge and everything that life in Ljubljana has to offer. I can't wait to meet my teammates, the fans, and get to work. I believe we have a successful season ahead of us!" Johnson said after signing with the Ljubljana club.
Johnson began his professional career in Romania with Sibiu, where he averaged 9.1 points and 9.1 rebounds in 21 games while also gaining experience in the FIBA Europe Cup. He then returned to the United States, playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors during the 2022/23 season before joining the Motor City Cruise in 2023/24. Notably, he led the NBA G League in rebounding during the 2022/23 season, averaging 13.5 rebounds per game.
Before the start of the 2024/25 season, Johnson moved to Trieste in Italy, where he appeared in 29 league games, averaging 9.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. He then spent the 2025/26 season in Turkey.
Johnson has also represented the United States men's national team, appearing in two 2025 FIBA AmeriCup qualifying games, where he averaged 8.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
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Jayce Johnson nova okrepitev Cedevite Olimpije pod obema obročema
Cedevita Olimpija se je pred začetkom tekmovalne sezone 2026/27 okrepila za boj v raketi. Novi član Zmajeve družine je 28-letni ameriški center Jayce Johnson, ki bo okrepil igro pod obročema in v Ljubljano prinaša mednarodne izkušnje.
213 centimetrov visoki Jayce Johnson v Ljubljano prihaja po uspešni sezoni v Turčiji, kjer je v dresu Manise na 30 odigranih tekmah v povprečju dosegal 9,1 točko in 7,5 skokov na tekmo. Američan je košarkarsko pot začel na univerzi Utah, nato pa študijsko kariero zaključil na ugledni univerzi Marquette, po vstopu med profesionalce pa si je izkušnje nabiral v Romuniji, Italiji, v razvojni Ligi NBA G League ter nazadnje Turčiji. Jayce Johnson bo v sezoni 2026/27 prvič oblekel zeleno-oranžni dres in predstavljal okrepitev v raketi Cedevite Olimpije, ki bo tudi v prihajajoči sezoni nastopala v BKT EuroCupu, AdmiralBet Ligi ABA ter domačih tekmovanjih.
“Zelo sem vesel, da začenjam novo poglavje svoje kariere. Poletje izkoriščam za trdo delo in prepričan sem, da sem odlično pripravljen na izzive, ki jih prinaša nova sezona. Navdušen sem, da sem postal del tako kakovostnega kluba, kot je Cedevita Olimpija. Verjamem, da lahko s svojim znanjem, energijo in igro pomagam ekipi ter skupaj s klubom in mestom Ljubljana ustvarimo nekaj posebnega. Po odlični izkušnji v Manisi se veselim novega izziva in vsega, kar prinaša življenje v Ljubljani. Komaj čakam, da spoznam soigralce, navijače in začnemo z delom. Verjamem, da nas čaka uspešna sezona!” je ob podpisu pogodbe z ljubljanskim klubom povedal Jayce Johnson.
Svojo profesionalno pot je Jayce Johnson začel v Romuniji, kjer je igral za ekipo Sibiu, na 21 tekmah pa v povprečju dosegal po 9,1 točke in skoka, takrat pa je tudi izkusil igranje v Fibinem Europe Cupu. Sledila je vrnitev v Združene države Amerike, kjer je v sezoni 2022/23 igral za Santa Cruz Warriors, v sezoni 2023/24 pa se je pridružil še ekipi Motor City Cruise. Potrebno je izpostaviti, da je bil v sezoni 2022/23 najboljši skakalec G-League s povprečjem 13,5 skokov na tekmo. Pred začetkom sezone 2024/25 se je preselil v ekipo Trieste, kjer je zaigral na 29 tekmah italijanskega državnega prvenstva, kjer je beležil 9,3 točke in 7,0 skokov, sezono 2025/26 pa je preživel v Turčiji.
Johnson se lahko pohvali tudi z igranjem za moško člansko reprezentanco Združenih držav Amerike - zaigral je namreč na dveh tekmah kvalifikacij za AmeriCup leta 2025, v povprečju pa je v svojo statistiko vpisal 8,5 točke in 10,0 skokov.
