Utah Jazz Ex-Ute Johnsen glad for exposure

Flash coach Brad Jones helped Johnsen make the decision to leave.

"I understand their roster space is limited," he said. "It's a dream of mine, obviously. I'd love it, if it happened. That would be great. But I'm here mostly for the exposure because, whenever I've played in a summer league, I've always gotten a good job overseas."

Since 2006, Johnsen has played for teams based in Spain, France and Turkey. He has lived on the Mediterranean Coast, in the French countryside and in an upscale, westernized area of Istanbul.

Last year, Johnsen played eight games with the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League because he wanted to prove that he had recovered from a serious rotator cuff injury. With teams reassured, he quickly signed with Galatasaray Cafecrown of Istanbul.

"I would love to be in the NBA," Johnsen said. "Obviously, I'm not making NBA money. But I have enjoyed it. I've had good experiences overseas.'"

"We loved Spain," Johnsen said, "even though the only team that paid me all my money was the one in Turkey. But Spain -- being on the coast -- it was beautiful."

"I liked playing for the Flash and felt bad about leaving," Johnsen said. "It's a good organization. But I got a good offer."

After college, Johnsen played briefly in the NBA with Orlando and Philadelphia. But his career didn't flourish until he went abroad where, by his careful count, he has played at least one game in 21 countries.

And he wants to go back.

Johnsen's career started at Murray High and continued at Utah where, as a freshman, he was a rotation regular on the Andre Miller/Michael Doleac-led team that lost to Kentucky in the national championship game.

Jul. 20--No longer the skinny, wide-eyed hometown hero who starred at the University of Utah and helped the Utes reach the 1998 NCAA championship game, Britton Johnsen is now a man of the world.

One of 17 players on the Jazz's roster at the Rocky Mountain Revue, Johnsen has been up and down the court enough times to know that he probably isn't going to stick with the NBA team he grew up watching.