Season stats: 2025-26. Updated —.
James Johnson Brings 16 Years of Experience to Pacers' Frontcourt
Pacers Nightly Desk · 2 h agoJames Johnson enters the 2026-27 season with Indiana at 39 years old, the most experienced player on the roster by a wide margin. He is healthy, not on the injury report, and slotted in as a forward wearing No. 16.
Where things stand
James Johnson is on the Pacers roster for the 2026-27 season, wearing No. 16 and listed as a forward. At 39 years old, he is the elder statesman of this group, with 16 seasons of NBA experience behind him. He is not on the injury report, which means he is available and healthy heading into the year. For a locker room full of younger players chasing playing time and development, Johnson's presence is less about box scores and more about having someone who has seen every version of an NBA season play out.
The frame: size and position
Johnson stands 6-7 and weighs 240 pounds, a build that has let him play multiple frontcourt spots over his career. He is listed as a forward, giving Indiana a physical option who can guard bigger wings and switch onto forwards without giving up much size. At this stage of a 16-year career, that kind of frame matters more for matchups and depth than for a heavy workload. The Pacers have a veteran they can turn to when the game calls for size and experience over raw athleticism.
The resume: Wake Forest to 16 NBA seasons
Johnson came into the league out of Wake Forest and has since built a 16-season NBA career, one of the longer active tenures in the sport. That kind of longevity is rare, and it puts him in a small group of players who have logged that much time in the league. For Indiana, his college background at Wake Forest is a footnote next to the bigger story: a career that has spanned more than a decade and a half and landed him with the Pacers for 2026-27.
Health heading into the season
There is no injury concern to track with Johnson right now. He is not on the injury report, so as far as availability goes, he is good to go. At 39, health and availability are the two things worth watching most closely with a player of his age and experience, and right now there is nothing flagging him as a risk. That clean bill of health is itself notable for a player this deep into a career, and it means Indiana can count on him being ready when the season opens.
What to watch for 2026-27
With no recent game log or rumor activity attached to Johnson right now, the story for 2026-27 is straightforward: a 39-year-old forward with 16 years of NBA experience, healthy and on the roster, wearing No. 16 for Indiana. The season ahead will be the real test of how the Pacers use him, whether as a rotation piece or a veteran presence in reserve. For now, everything points to him being available and part of the team as the year gets underway.
Questions fans ask
What number does James Johnson wear for the Pacers?
He wears No. 16.
What position does James Johnson play?
He is listed as a forward.
How many years has James Johnson played in the NBA?
He has 16 seasons of NBA experience.
Where did James Johnson play college basketball?
He played college basketball at Wake Forest.
Is James Johnson injured heading into the 2026-27 season?
No, he is not on the injury report.
How old is James Johnson?
He is 39 years old.
Game log
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