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When you think of guys named Reggie Johnson who played basketball at Miami, your 1st instinct is probably the 6’10” center who played for the Hurricanes from 2010-2013. However, option B is the 6’2″ guard who started his career at Miami (OH) before transferring to Hampton in 2013. Last March he got to experience the thrill of victory by winning 4 games in 6 days to clinch the MEAC tourney title…followed by the agony of defeat after drawing an undefeated Kentucky team in the NCAA tourney. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Reggie about why he transferred and the large number of seniors on this year’s roster.
You were team captain during each of your 4 years of high school: what is the key to being a good leader? You have to lead by example. Leaders do a lot of talking but you also have to show guys what to do without saying anything. You need to carry yourself with good character.
You started 22 games as a freshman at Miami Ohio: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? The veterans on the team made it comfortable for me as a freshman. I was there all summer so by the preseason I had a good feel for the team.
In December of 2013 you decided to transfer: why did you make that choice, and what made you choose Hampton? I just felt that Miami was no longer the perfect spot for me. It was sad because I wanted to stay, but I just had a gut feeling that I had to go elsewhere to have more fun with the game, which I never could have imagined. The longer that I was unhappy, the more it hurt me on the inside. I reached out to schools and schools reached out to me. 1 of the Hampton coaches went to the same high school I did. At first I thought that Hampton was too far away, but it was nice to go somewhere that had people I knew.
You play for Coach Ed Joyner: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have ever learned from him? He is a player’s coach: he will correct us when necessary but also allows us to correct ourselves. He genuinely respects our opinion: it is not a 1-way street of “my way or the highway”. It is not just the captains who he respects: he listens to the input that everyone has to offer, which has made me feel very comfortable playing for him. He is very laid back so when he tells us to do something it is because he wants us to get better.
In the 2015 MEAC tourney you were named to the all-tourney team after winning 4 games in 6 days to clinch the title: how exhausted were you by the end of that week, and what did it mean to you to win the title? I was definitely tired by the end of the week, but I was able to gain some energy every day that we kept winning. At that point in the season everyone is tired so you just get to see who wants it the most. Adrenaline takes over as soon as the ball is tipped and you only feel tired after the game.
In the 2015 NCAA tourney you had 4 STL in a loss to then-undefeated Kentucky: where does that Wildcat team rank among the best that you have ever seen? Kentucky was great: they had a lot of talent and a lot of hype, but it was great to see them play together. They were not worried about who was taking shots: it shows how Coach Calipari can do what he does. They were good people and not cocky at all, so it was a great experience.
You had 7 different players start at least 17 games last year: do you consider that a good thing (because it allowed a bunch of guys to get some experience), or a bad thing (because of the uncertainty of never knowing who would start from 1 game to the next), or other? It was very up and down last year with a lot of uncertainty. We were all over the place at first but we finally gained an identity late in the year with a steadier lineup, which helped us get to the postseason. It will carry over into next season: we know that we can just go out there now and do what we have to do without worrying about who is starting.
You are part of a huge senior class this year: how crucial will all of that experience be to your team’s success? It will be very crucial. We have 4 freshmen who are ready to play so it will be a nice mix of old guys who have been around the program and young guys who are capable. We want to defend what is ours, but we understand what we did right and wrong last year and we know the format for how we can succeed. We have to relay the message to the freshmen and make sure they are on-board.
Your non-conference schedule includes games against SMU/Colorado: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? I would say SMU: I heard they might be a top-25 team. It will be fun for me personally because 1 of my close friends from home is Sterling Brown, who plays for the Mustangs. We do not have as many high-major teams on our schedule as last year, but Colorado will also be tough.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? I expect that our team will have a great non-conference record so I think we can enter the conference tourney with 23-25 wins. I feel it is time to take responsibility and own the conference. Great teams win games that they are not supposed to even when they are struggling, and we need to be able to put teams away. I hope we can get back to the NCAA tourney and make a run: if we can get a higher seed, then we will not have to face a team like Kentucky. It is my last year here and I know that I can score, so I want to show my impact on defense and maybe win the conference DPOY award.