Athletes across a multitude of disciplines often socialize with one another and have done so for many years. This can be for an abundance of reasons — to party like rock stars or even to share training regimens. It’s gotten pretty common in the modern NBA to such an extent that James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Jamal Murray have been known to incorporate combat sports into their summer workouts.
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Shaquille O’Neal is another NBA legend with a deep admiration for the world of mixed martial arts. At a recent UFC event, where Vitor Belfort was inducted into the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame class, Shaq garnered media attention on the red carpet, like he always does.
Asked about NBA players potentially crossing into UFC, Shaq kept it real after a journalist brought up Indiana Pacers forward James Johnson.
“I’ve heard his name a lot, but I’m not sure about any other guys,” O’Neal told reporters on the red carpet. “I know he’s been in the art for a while, [in] Taekwondo. But don’t know about any other of those guys.”
The moment quickly made waves online — Shaq rarely gives out compliments unless he means them.
James Johnson is the go-to name whenever the NBA and MMA cross paths in conversation or even in imagination. Why? Well, that’s because the Indiana Pacers vet, who has carved out a 16-year NBA career, holds a verified 4th-degree black belt in Taekwondo and trains in kickboxing.
Fighting is practically in the blood and the family business in the Johnson household — and it’s no joke. His father is a five-time world kickboxing champion, and his mother also has U.S. karate titles. Johnson’s siblings have all competed at high levels in martial arts, forming a dynasty of disciplined warriors.
As for James himself, reports vary — but he is rumored to have an undefeated kickboxing record. Some sources cite a 20-0 mark in kickboxing; others suggest a 27-0 record when including MMA fights.
Either way, it’s clear Johnson is a rare athlete whose basketball and combat talents truly overlap. He’s also never been shy when asked about how he’d fare in a legit UFC fight.
Last year on The OGs podcast, Udonis Haslem asked if Johnson believed he could go up against UFC legend Jon Jones. Johnson barely blinked: “I truly believe that. I’m not just talking to rap. I’ve been doing this my whole life.“
“Real training would really be for that groundwork,“ Johnson said, referring to jiu-jitsu and wrestling. “But far as standing up and fighting — like, I got advantage.”
That quiet confidence came through in tone and delivery — it wasn’t for show. Johnson isn’t just a hooper who dabbled in martial arts on the side. He is someone who grew up on a training mat, throwing kicks before he could throw a pass.
Former NBA guard turned funny storyteller Jeff Teague once shared a hilarious story that proved Johnson’s fighter mindset runs deep. On The Draymond Green Show, Teague recalled college days when Johnson had a kickboxing match scheduled midseason.
“We had a meeting … coach asked, ‘Are you gonna be a kickboxer or a basketball player?‘” Teague said, cracking up. “[Johnson said] ‘I need some money.‘ The coach said, ‘Damn, oh, you about to go fight for money?‘”
It’s not exactly standard NCAA protocol, but it was very much on-brand for James Johnson.
