Johnsen earns position By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted October 22, 2003 A long shot to make the Orlando Magic, undrafted forward Britton Johnsen said all he wanted was "to get a uniform." He will receive more than that. Johnsen will start tonight against the Atlanta Hawks and, in a surprise development, might be in the Magic's lineup for the regular-season opener Oct. 29. Meanwhile, veteran Pat Garrity will begin his season on the injured list. Garrity, the club's best 3-point shooting threat, has been rehabbing his right knee all preseason after undergoing surgery this summer. He has not participated in a scrimmage since he reported to training camp Oct. 3. "I would say there's a pretty good chance of that," Garrity said of being placed on the injured list for the required five games. "That would give me almost three weeks to get ready. That would be about right." Garrity wouldn't become eligible to play until Nov. 7, when the Magic play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lucky for the Magic, then, that Johnsen turned into a surprise free-agent find. "If he doesn't break his hand and get mono, he probably gets drafted," Magic Coach Doc Rivers said. "Maybe we got a break." Johnsen, a lanky 6 feet 10 and 210 pounds, was not drafted after a cursed senior season at Utah. A year after being named Mountain West Conference Player of the Year as a junior, Johnsen broke his hand. He tried playing in a soft cast but was all thumbs offensively. Then he came down with mononucleosis, missing Utah's final seven games. Rivers called him the night of the draft to invite him to play on the club's summer-league team. Johnsen averaged 12 points and 4.3 rebounds, and provided ESPN with a national highlight by dunking over rookie Cleveland Cavaliers phenom LeBron James. "Britton just knows how to play," Rivers said. Rivers says he is thinking about using a smaller lineup in the Magic's regular-season opener in New York against the Knicks. He is leaning toward starting Johnsen at small forward. Johnsen's startling ascension likely means that third-year guard Jeryl Sasser eventually will be released. He has played only 16 minutes in six preseason games and taken four shots. The Magic would eat the $1 million salary left on his contract this season. Sasser was picked No. 22 in the first round by Orlando in 2001, but he never developed into a dependable player. The Magic's roster then would be set at 15, the league maximum when factoring in players on the injured list. No one could have imagined that Johnsen had a chance to be on it. Johnsen has averaged 5.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for the Magic this preseason. He has started one game, scoring 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds against the Miami Heat. "I always thought I could play in this league, being 6-10 and somewhat athletic," he said. Johnsen refuses to relax even though it is apparent he has made the club. "You kidding? I've had a lot of bad luck," he said. "I'm not going to get too comfortable." He'll pinch himself later. "When I came here," he said, "I was just trying to do everything I could do to get a uniform." http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...,0,228914.story
