Franky Johnson
Frank Victor Johnson is a Filipino-American professional basketball player. He has played in the Philippine Basketball Association and internationally in 3×3 competitions, including The Asian Tournament. Johnson is known for his scoring ability, clutch performances, and contribution to Philippine 3×3 basketball. He was drafted by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2021 PBA Draft and has competed for the Meralco Bolts in the PBA.
Early life and college career
Franky Johnson was born in Vallejo, California. He attended Vanden High School in Fairfield, California, where he was a standout scorer and earned regional recognition.He continued his collegiate career at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, where he played for the men’s basketball team during the 2014–15 season.
Professional Career
3×3 career
Before joining the Philippine Basketball Association, Franky Johnson gained recognition as a standout player in Philippine 3×3 basketball, competing in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 league, known for his scoring ability and clutch play.In the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 finale, Johnson hit a game-winning fadeaway deuce in overtime to lift Phenom-Basilan Steel over Balanga Pure, securing the PHP 1 million grand prize and a berth in the 2019 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Jeddah Masters. Johnson was awarded the Chooks 3×3 MVP that very same season after winning the finals.
In 2019, Johnson led Isabela City in the Sukhbaatar Cup, where his team faced international competition, including the dominant Serbian Novi Sad squad, highlighting his impact in Philippine 3×3 basketball. Johnson also won the two-point shootout at the FIBA 3x3 Challenger in Mongolia, becoming the first ever Filipino to win the shootout title at the event.
PBA career
Franky Johnson officially declared for the 2021 PBA Draft, joining a talented class of Fil-foreign guards.Johnson was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
On December 4, 2021, Johnson was traded from Rain or Shine to the Meralco Bolts in a one-for-one deal involving fellow Filipino-American guard Trevis Jackson.
During the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup playoffs, Franky Johnson was involved in a widely reported on-court altercation during a quarterfinals matchup.
International career
In 2024 after his PBA stint, Johnson joined the Zamboanga Valientes, becoming a key contributor in regional and international tournaments.Johnson found success internationally with the Zamboanga Valientes. He scored 36 points in a performance that helped the team reach the cusp of its first-ever The Asian Tournament finals appearance.Johnson also starred in the Valientes’ victory over the Macau Black Bears in the Asian Cagefest tournament.
Johnson later helped Zamboanga Valientes defeat the Macau Black Bears again to capture the Asian tournament title, solidifying his role as a key contributor internationally.
Indonesian Basketball League (IBL)
In the IBL GoPay 2025 season, Johnson signed to Pacific as an heritage import player. Johnson entered with confidence after being declared healthy during pre-season medical checks.Pacific Caesar suffered a narrow 81–82 loss to Prawira Bandung in their first home game at GOR Pacific on 15 January 2025.
On 30 April 2025, Johnson scored 21 points in a 101–94 loss to Pelita Jaya Jakarta. Johnson then helped Pacific achieve a 90–78 victory over Prawira Bandung on 18 May 2025, scoring 26 points, along with two rebounds and three assists.
Ahead of the 2026 season, Pacific announced that they would not be able to retain Johnson as a heritage import due to the league rule changes for the 2026 season.
Johnson averaged 15.9 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game across 25 appearances in the 2025 season.