Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

CLEVELAND – From the depths of Alabaster to the big stage, one of Shelby County’s own has signed a contract in the world’s most elite basketball league, the NBA.

Auburn forward and former Thompson star Chaney Johnson signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers organization after this week’s NBA Draft, becoming one of four Tigers to ink a deal after the fact.

Johnson went undrafted following two rounds of selections, along with guard Miles Kelly and center Dylan Cardwell. His contract is a one-year, minimum salary agreement that is not guaranteed.

Should Johnson perform well, the Cavaliers could convert the contract to be a two-way contract before the regular season begins. However, should the opposite occur, the team does not have to pay him if he is waived before the season begins.

Throughout his five-year career between both the University of Alabama-Huntsville and Auburn, Johnson averaged 10.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

While on the Plains for the past two seasons, Johnson only started five games, but played an instrumental role in helping the Tigers and head coach Bruce Pearl reach their second Final Four in program history.

Prior to his collegiate playing days, Johnson became a standout at Thompson High School under then head coach Dru Powell. He was an All-County Second Team selection in 2020 for his performance as a senior, serving as their leading scorer with 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game.

The Alabaster native held no offers from power programs coming out of high school however, and signed with UAH to play under head coach John Shulman in 2020, and while there was named the 2023 Alabama Sports Writers Association Small College Athlete of the Year.

Johnson then got the opportunity in his third year of college basketball to make a trip down to Auburn University to take on the Tigers in an exhibition match, one that saw him rack up 14 points, five rebounds and two assists.

He then entered the transfer portal following that season and gained looks from numerous programs, ultimately settling on Auburn and becoming, as many have described it, as the team’s hardest worker.

Johnson graduated from Auburn in December 2024 from the Harbert College of Business with a degree in marketing.

The Cavaliers finished 64-18 in the 2024-2025 season and were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.