It ended when the Bulls selected Johnson with the No. 16 overall pick in the draft Thursday, three hours after Forman, now the Bulls' general manager, had a final predraft telephone call with Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio.

''We talked to Dino a number of time, but we actually talked to him [Thursday] about 5,'' Forman said. ''Asking him about a couple of his players in this draft. The one thing he said is James would compete every day in practice and games.

''We had targeted James Johnson during the season. We did a lot of work on him, followed him very closely. It was a consensus of our staff that James was one of the top five to seven players in this draft.

''We love his versatility. He can play [small forward], he can play [power forward]. He can play inside. He can play outside. At his size, 6-8 and 250, he can put the ball on the floor, rebound, push it out in transition. He can penetrate, and he's a very good passer for a big guy. He's a terrific guy.''

Forman said he had trade talks this week, thinking the Bulls might need to move up to get Johnson, a two-time third-team All-ACC pick.

''I'm really excited,'' Johnson said on a conference call from Wyoming, where he watched the draft with his family and friends. ''They're a great team. I'm going to come in and work. I think I can help them out. The ACC has great talent. You've seen the guys who went earlier in the first round. It prepares you for fast-paced games. In my mind, I'm a small forward, but you can use me at the power forward. I can defend multiple players. I'm just happy the Bulls took me.''

Coach Vinny Del Negro, who was impressed with Johnson's workout for the Bulls , said, ''For a big guy, he has a feel for the game.''

Asked how Johnson will fit with forward Tyrus Thomas, Forman said he sees the two as ''complements'' to each other.

''James can, in certain matchups, guard inside and outside,'' Forman said. ''If there are some screen-and-roll situations, maybe we'll do some switching where they have versatility to do that.''

Johnson is 21-0 as a kickboxer, following his father, Willie, a seven-time world champion.

''I stopped competing after I was recruited by Wake Forest,'' Johnson said. ''I still help my father with his gym. But I think about fighting all the time.''

Johnson averaged 15 points and 8.5 rebounds last season as a sophomore.

''We made ourselves a little better tonight, which was our goal,'' Forman said.

Added Del Negro: ''James Johnson has a lot of skill. He can do a little bit of everything. That's a great advantage for any coach to have.''