North Richmond Today

NEW PLAYER, OLD SOUL

The story of Brandon Johns Jr. getting to VCU as a graduate transfer can conveniently be wrapped in a Martelli Family Connection. And while that indeed played a part, the connection goes far deeper and far longer than most realize. The story of Brandon Johns Jr. goes back more than a decade, to summertime games in and around Lansing, Michigan, the hometown of VCU Assistant Coach Brent Scott.
 
"Lansing is not the smallest town, but it's not the biggest town," recalls Scott. "We had a bunch of mutual friends, and when I'd come home from Houston we'd play against one another in open gyms, things like that." A big man Scott regularly faced those summers: Brandon Johns, Sr. And while Johns Jr. doesn't recall those summer games, he immediately recalls Zeb Jackson's involvement.
 
Jackson and Johns, Jr. lived together at Michigan. Jackson decided to leave and chose VCU in news that broke on April 4.
 
"I'd hear it from Zeb every day," laughs Johns. "We be walking around the house and he'd say things like "oh, you look like a Ram today. He gave me constant reassurance about VCU and his decision, and once I announced I was leaving the coaches were quick to call and express interest, and I had early interest in them."
 
Jackson had hinted to Scott that Johns was considering leaving Michigan. Scott knew Johns' inside/outside skills were exactly what the coaching staff was looking for in the transfer portal, so opportunity was there. There was a good fit, backed by longtime connections. Not only had Scott and Johns, Sr. played against one another, Scott's wife Brooke had become good friends with the Johns family. Vince Williams played AAU against Johns. Michigan assistant Saddi Washington is also from Lansing. And of course former Saint Joseph's head coach and current Michigan assistant Phil Martelli's son Jimmy is VCU's director of operations.
 
"We tried to recruit him out of high school, but he blew up and it was about Michigan/Michigan State," says Head Coach Mike Rhoades, adding to the history. "Big B (Scott) knew him, and when we heard he wasn't going back for a fifth year, we jumped in and really hit it off. With both Brandon and Zeb, we had these great relationships."
 
Martelli, a sort of Godfather in college basketball circles, gave the VCU program his stamp of approval. It was the final step. Johns' announcement to come to VCU occurred a little less than three weeks after Jackson.
 
"Phil actually recommended them in a way, that VCU is a great program and they take care of you, and Jimmy's there and (our) family will take care of you," says Johns. "It's been amazing being here. There is a big family connection with everyone. We joke around and laugh and criticism is all constructive."
 
It didn't take long for Johns to become part of the family.
 
"He wasn't here two weeks and jumped right into it," says Rhoades of July workouts, his voice rising with every word. "I said to Big B, the dude is acting like he's been here three years and he's hit it off with everybody. Players managers, the chef, the coaching staff. He's walking around and he knows everybody name."
 
Rhoades calls Johns and old soul, an assertion Scott backs up.

"Brandon's a unique kid, a throwback," Scott says. "He can talk to anybody. He's got such a great personality it's neat to be around him because there are not a lot of kids like him in this day and age."
 
That includes a remarkable ability to play the piano, much like former VCU big man D.J. Haley. And while Haley preferred classical music, Johns plays a different kind of classic. Johns listens to a lot of old school R&B, so songs like Easy by The Commodores are the style. Scott enjoys giving Johns a hard time about his depth of knowledge. Johns throws in some Queen, "Bohemian Rhapsody", when asked for more. "Mostly mainstream songs you hear that sound interesting and catchy," he says.
 
On the court, Johns provides an experienced eye and years of winning he can impart to a team gelling as the season wears on. His ability to score at all three levels makes Johns a weapon.
 
"The thing you saw right away was how talented and skilled he is," says Scott. "The big thing is instilling confidence in him." Johns was part of the equation at Michigan, so there has been an adjustment to being a leader his teammates depend upon for production. "By nature, he's had to get over that," says Scott. "We need him in that bigger role. He's never going to be the kid who jacks up 20 shots, so we've worked on the mental side, to take his feel for the game and move him forward in that bigger role. Guys like Ace have really helped him."
 
Johns is working towards his maters in criminal justice with an eye on forensic analytics when the ball stops bouncing. He loves dissecting true crime.
 
"Everyone welcomed me with open arms and it's been great since day one," says Johns. "We lean on each other in that family way and continue to fight and have each others' backs. It's one of our biggest perks, and the connection is genuine and not forced."
 
Scott, a generation older, feels it. "We can have conversations about life. He will tell me God put him here for a reason, that he'd never change anything but he's very appreciative of the coaches, players, staff, and fans here," he says. "Every day he comes in and he's in a good mood and good place and says hello to everybody. He's a fifth-year guy here for a year and those guys don't always have to buy in. He has. He's a VCU guy who will come back and workout in summers."
 
Johns sounds like a VCU player now. When asked about the key to a successful A-10 season, he says: "We need to play more aggressive, confident, and loose. The more we tense up and close our minds off would create a struggle. We just need to stay loose, understand how we play, and not feed into other people's stuff."
 
You can always tell when Mike Rhoades is making a point he wants everyone to know, clearly. His voice rises, and he stops on certain words.
 
"He is. Great," says Rhoades, who also notes Johns is having his best academic semester here in grad school. "Honestly. In all my 27 years of coaching he is one of my all-time favorites. And I've only been with him since July. It's. Amazing." 

Original source can be found here