Johnson Finally Causes Someone Else’s Headache
By: Will Vandervort March 8, 2026

CLEMSON — When Clemson played Alabama-Birmingham in Asheville, N.C., a few years back, Budda Johnson went off for 17 points, as he gave the Tigers a headache all night.

Brad Brownell remembered that night well, and when Johnson entered the transfer portal last spring, Clemson’s head coach knew he had to get him signed. Getting the 6-foot-4 guard from Huntsville, Ala., paid off in Saturday’s 79-76 victory over Georgia Tech at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Johnson, who made his fourth start for the Tigers, scored 15 points, including 13 in the second half to help pace Clemson.

“I was going to bust his chops after the game… I was going to say, ‘When are you going to do that against someone else.’ Today, he about got there, and we needed everyone for sure.”

Johnson finally started busting someone else’s chops. With the Tigers down 10 points with 15:30 to play, he scored six straight points as part of an 11-0 run.

He first drained a 3-pointer from the left corner and later stole a pass and ran the floor for a layup-and-one.

Clemson guard Butta Johnson (4) shoots a free throw against Georgia Tech on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. (Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider)

“We needed to get a few stops together,” Johnson said. “We knew if we got a few stops that our offense would eventually come. That is how we felt for the majority of the game. We just have to get these stops on defense, and the offense will take care of itself.”

Johnson was right.

The Tigers (22-9, 12-6 ACC) got their defense going, which subsequently led to more offense.

The Huntsville native added to the offense. He later hit a floater come from the right side to give Clemson a three-point lead and followed that with another triple in the corner for a 75-70 lead with 1:38 to play.

“Our defense was pretty good, but we just could not get the offense going,” Johnson said. “I was just trying to get everyone going and get them to spread the floor, get to our offensive plan and just win the game.”

Johnson finished the afternoon 5 of 8 from the field, including 2-for-5 from three-point range. He also had three rebounds and two assists and was 3-for-3 from the foul line.

“I was just trying to get everybody into rhythm,” he said.

And Brownell was glad to see Johnson give someone else a headache for a change.