Michigan Basketball: Brandon Johns A McDonald’s Nominee, Talks Izzo Rant
The spin after East Lansing (Mich.) forward Brandon Johns pledged to Michigan over MSU started immediately after his commitment:
“MSU was slow playing him and didn’t really want him.”
Apparently, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo didn’t get the memo.
In a Lansing State Journal article, Johns noted Izzo had been recruiting him since the seventh grade, so Johns called him to break the news that he was going to U-M.
The local call was the toughest.
“Yeah, he went on a whole rant,” Johns said of Izzo. “That was not what I expected. It wasn’t easy.
“We built a relationship.”
Izzo gave a terse statement regarding Johns' decision.
“If he’s happy, I’m happy for him,” Izzo said.
Johns was raised an MSU fan thanks to his father, Brandon Johns Sr., and he said the Spartans were “very much” in the running late. There was just something about U-M head coach John Beilein that kept drawing him to Ann Arbor.
“He encouraged me to go on all of my visits and see other places,” Johns said of Beilein. “He told me he wanted me to think about Michigan at every stop. When I was on my final visit at Pittsburgh, he was right — I was thinking about Michigan.
“I just felt like I had a better opportunity there,” he said. “Their style really fits me. It will be an easy transition from high school to college.”
Johns is averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.4 steals through seven games for East Lansing, which is 6-1 overall after a loss to Grand Ledge, its first regular season setback in 34 games. Johns and Detroit East English Village point guard David DeJulius were both nominated to play in the McDonald's All-American game March 28 at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Johns is the reigning AP Class A Player of the Year.
DeJulius, meanwhile, is averaging 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds per game. He put on a show last week against MSU-bound Foster Loyer of Clarkston, scoring 19 of his 42 in the fourth quarter.
“It was big as far as Mr. Basketball and just the Michigan vs. Michigan State thing,” DeJulius told the Detroit Free Press. “I kind of didn’t want to look after the game and go on Twitter and see Michigan State fans all talking about the game. I wanted to give Michigan (fans) something good to talk about.
“I just got in sync. I got more focused. I said it was now or never.”
DeJulius notched a triple double with 20 points on 6 of 14 shooting, adding 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 62-53 win over Detroit Pershing Tuesday.
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