Former Detroit Pistons player Stanley Johnson is headed for Japan in a move that may signify the end of his NBA dreams.
NBA veteran Stanley Johnson has signed with Nagasaki Velca in Japan’s B.League!
— BDAI (@BDAISports) July 29, 2025
Coming off dominant 5v5 scrimmages in Los Angeles last week, Stanley is ready to unleash his offensive versatility, lockdown defense, and leadership.
Excited to embrace Japan’s vibrant culture,… pic.twitter.com/owaXgNyqfe
Johnson hasn’t played in the NBA full-time since the 2022-23 season and has spent the last two years toiling in the G-League hoping for a chance at another shot.
It seems impossible, but Johnson is still only 29-years-old, but it’s unlikely putting up big stats in the Japanese B-league is going to get him much attention from NBA teams.
I put Johnson, who was the 8th pick in the 2015 Draft, in my Holy Trinity of draft misses for the Pistons, as they could have had Devin Booker (among others), who is from Michigan and made it clear he wanted to play for the Pistons.
Johnson was one of many draft misses from that era that defined the Pistons' long stretch of being either mediocre or terrible.
The Stanimal had his moments, and fans desperately wanted him to be the two-way wing they had long lacked, but he is ultimately symbolic of a draft era best forgotten for the Pistons.
Detroit Pistons draft: Hitting outside the top five
Stanley Johnson is a prime example of why teams try to tank to get into the top five of the draft.
It’s not as if you can’t find talent later, but it becomes much more of a crap shoot, something the Pistons know well after drafting in the 7-9 range for years.
The top five had busts that year too (I’m looking at you Mario Hezonja) but picking in the top five gives you a much better shot at landing an impact star, which the Pistons know well after finally tanking and hitting on #1 pick Cade Cunningham.
The 2015 Draft also showed just how important it is to draft well no matter where you are, something teams like the Indiana Pacers (Myles Turner with the 11th pick), OKC (Cam Payne with the 14th pick) and the Celtics (Terry Rozier, 16th pick) did well, at least finding rotation players in a draft littered with first-round busts.
Hopefully, the Pistons won’t have a top five pick again for some time, but when you look at the career Myles Turner had with the Pacers after being drafted outside the top 10, it shows how important the draft really is regardless of where you are choosing.
The Pistons have to make the most of whatever pick they end up with and thankfully have a guy in Trajan Langdon with a solid record in the draft.