Michigan Wolverines Basketball: Brandon Johns Keeping Positive
Click HERE to sign up for a subscription to TheWolverine.com and get your FREE gift code for $99 in Michigan apparel and gear!
Freshman forward Brandon Johns Jr. knows getting on the floor is a process.
Early on in his first season in Ann Arbor, the top-50 recruit has barely seen the court and has only played 30 minutes in seven games. The majority of those minutes came against George Washington on Nov. 17 when he played 11 minutes and scored the first two baskets of his career.
Even though he’s not getting the opportunity he would like, he’s trying to have a good attitude.
“You’re not going to do everything perfectly when you’re a freshman,” Johns said. “Just to learn a lot of concepts and it takes time. We’re just trying to keep my head up, stay positive and keep moving forward.”
Adjusting to college basketball hasn’t been easy for Johns. He said the hardest thing to grasp so far has been defense, especially how intense you have to be while defending every second of the game.
The speed of the game at the college level is something that Johns has had to get accustomed to as well.
“That’s the one thing that takes time,” Johns said. “For me it took a couple weeks just because I was so used to the high school flow. Then when you start to get going at the faster pace, it’s just natural.”
Johns is also learning a position he wasn’t recruited to play.
Michigan head coach John Beilein said he envisioned Johns playing at the four, but has shifted him to play the stretch five role because it was the quickest path to getting him playing time. It’s not a completely new position as Johns played some at the five in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.
The biggest thing for Johns in playing multiple positions is figuring out what parts of his game to utilize at the different positions.
“You have to use certain aspects of your game in certain areas of the court,” Johns said. “As a five, I use a lot more of the physicality part, a little more of the athleticism part. With the four, I’d have to use a lot more of my athleticism.”
Over the course of his first few months at Michigan, Johns has gotten his feet wet and begun to grasp how different college basketball is. Evaluating himself, he thinks that he has become more aggressive and more physical with an increased level of strength.
He has also improved on the defensive end where he said he was the weakest heading into the season.
“In the beginning it was my defense because I lacked a lot on defense,” Johns said. “I think that’s the hardest transition from high school to college is just defense. Now looking at myself, I can see a big improvement in my defensive aspects.”
Now, Johns hopes his improvements will help him to see the floor more as Michigan takes on its last three nonconference opponents of the season.
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine, @DrewCHallett and @Qb9Adam.
• Like us on Facebook