Matt Painter can't force a player to take a redshirt.

He didn't have to worry about it with Anthony Johnson.

Johnson said the decision to use his first season at Purdue to focus on getting stronger and becoming a better player -- but not play in games -- wasn't a tough one.

"Actually, it was more of a decision I made on my own," freshman Johnson said in a phone interview on Friday. "I actually was more of a person that wanted to get stronger this year and come back next year. So it was actually a decision I really wanted to do. It was up to me. I probably would have played an OK amount of time this year. But I think it'll be better for me to wait this year, get stronger and work as hard as I can, stay humble and have a good year next year."

Johnson, who is from Chicago, is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard with long arms and athleticism. Painter said Johnson too often gets knocked off screens and off the ball. Painter said if Johnson can reach 200 pounds -- and that likely won't happen in one year -- that he thinks Johnson can be a "very good player in our league."

Johnson will continue to practice with the team, and he's going to need to use those opportunities as his games.

"It's competitive, so I have to play hard every possession," Johnson said. "Prove a point. Prove a point that next year, I'm going to come strong and be ready to be productive for the team next year."