It all changed when he joined the Miami Heat last summer. He fell in love with South Florida so much he and his fiancee, Diana Issa, decided to decorate their house. They wanted to feel like residents, not drifters.
With Johnson signing a four-year, $60 million contract in July, it appears the once journeyman has finally found a true home.
“There are things you take for granted that you don’t really consider until it’s too late,” Johnson said. “Just trying to build an empire here in Miami is one of the dopest things I could even think about doing with my family.”
After being on the go so much of his career, Johnson is now in a place where trophies and memorabilia hang from the walls of his Pinecrest home. There’s even a shrine in the living room full of moments and paintings from his first season in Miami.
“Just to call a place like Miami home is one of the most gratifying things that I can think of,” Johnson said. “I was happy to hit those other places. I learned a lot, but I was very happy to find a place like Miami so late in my career. I wouldn’t have wanted to come here during those times when I was immature or not focused on what my career was and happened to lose this opportunity. I’m glad I came here at the right time.”
Like most, Johnson, 30, enjoys what South Florida has to offer. The beaches. The weather. The food. The culture. But what stands out the most about his current situation is the stability.
He had never been on a first-name basis with the mailman until now. Neighbours wave as he walks his sons down the block. His 1-year-old, Harlem, has toys scattered across the floor and a motorized jeep parked by the pool, a sign they are here for the long haul.
The experience is much different from the past. Each summer was filled with uncertainty. His home was full of boxes, always ready to be shipped to another city. Family life was left at the mercy of the team’s general manager.
“In the summer, you’re not thinking like, ‘Oh, we can make plans for the summer,” said Issa, who has been dating Johnson for three years. “We’re thinking, ‘Where are we going to go (next)? What’s going to happen?’ Now, it’s nice. You’re set. You’re good. You can move forward.”’
