The New Guys: B.J. Johnson | Syracusefan.com
.

The New Guys: B.J. Johnson

SWC75

Bored Historian
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
34,525
Like
67,278
Everybody is talking about next year’s team, which figures to be heavily impacted by no less than six newcomers. Improvement by returning players will probably be at least as important, (I think DaJuan Coleman, Jerami Grant and Trevor Cooney will be significant factors next year). But I decided to take a good look at the six new guys and see what I could determine by viewing their highlights on U-Tube. Some of these have been posted before, I’m sure but this is the first time I’ve decided to extensively comment on them. I’m not putting this on the recruiting Board because we’ve already recruited these guys.

Our board only lets a poster link one highlight tape per post so I’m going to make a separate post on each guy. If you look to the right hand column, (on U-Tube) there may be other highlight posts on the same player. Don’t forget that you can make the video full screen by clicking in the box in the lower right hand corner of the viewing screen.

I’m a sucker for a good highlight tape, (see Mike Jones in football and Deshonte Riley in basketball), so I need to remember and to stress that these highlights are against high school competition, (and they only show the good plays). These guys may not be ready to play like this against college competition when they get here.

B.J. Johnson



I love this tape, done when Johnson was a 6-4 guard. He’s now 6-7. BJ shows some dead-eye outside shooting and some spectacular one-handed dunking and some “where the heck did he come from?” dunks. Physically he looks a bit like CJ Fair. He’s painfully thin, (and must look even more so at 6-7) but he’s such a spectacular talent it doesn’t matter. He seems to soar over the, (high school), opposition. He’s not an inside guy so not being bulky and strong may not matter so much. If CJ comes back then with him, G and Buss, I don’t know how much playing time BJ will get. He’ll have the chance to put some pounds on. But he doesn’t need more talent. One video asks if he’s Lower Merion’s “next Kobe”. (Bryant attended the same high school years ago.) I’ll be satisfied if BJ is the next CJ.
 
Everybody is talking about next year’s team, which figures to be heavily impacted by no less than six newcomers. Improvement by returning players will probably be at least as important, (I think DaJuan Coleman, Jerami Grant and Trevor Cooney will be significant factors next year). But I decided to take a good look at the six new guys and see what I could determine by viewing their highlights on U-Tube. Some of these have been posted before, I’m sure but this is the first time I’ve decided to extensively comment on them. I’m not putting this on the recruiting Board because we’ve already recruited these guys.

Our board only lets a poster link one highlight tape per post so I’m going to make a separate post on each guy. If you look to the right hand column, (on U-Tube) there may be other highlight posts on the same player. Don’t forget that you can make the video full screen by clicking in the box in the lower right hand corner of the viewing screen.

I’m a sucker for a good highlight tape, (see Mike Jones in football and Deshonte Riley in basketball), so I need to remember and to stress that these highlights are against high school competition, (and they only show the good plays). These guys may not be ready to play like this against college competition when they get here.

B.J. Johnson



I love this tape, done when Johnson was a 6-4 guard. He’s now 6-7. BJ shows some dead-eye outside shooting and some spectacular one-handed dunking and some “where the heck did he come from?” dunks. Physically he looks a bit like CJ Fair. He’s painfully thin, (and must look even more so at 6-7) but he’s such a spectacular talent it doesn’t matter. He seems to soar over the, (high school), opposition. He’s not an inside guy so not being bulky and strong may not matter so much. If CJ comes back then with him, G and Buss, I don’t know how much playing time BJ will get. He’ll have the chance to put some pounds on. But he doesn’t need more talent. One video asks if he’s Lower Merion’s “next Kobe”. (Bryant attended the same high school years ago.) I’ll be satisfied if BJ is the next CJ.
Check out the latest highlights with BJ on the threads(So tell me about the new guys coming in) a big difference in size #5
 
How did I forget that BJ is left handed? Can't wait to see him suit up for the cuse. OGBJ - do you know what number he wants to wear at Syracuse? I am hoping #5 will still be in use by CJ...
 
How did I forget that BJ is left handed? Can't wait to see him suit up for the cuse. OGBJ - do you know what number he wants to wear at Syracuse? I am hoping #5 will still be in use by CJ...
He had #35 but the jersey was too small so he got #5, KD's Olympic #. If not than any# will do as long as he has an opportunity to get on the floor. I don't think BJ is worried about that. He is working hard on this end to be prepared for the CUSE.
 
He had #35 but the jersey was too small so he got #5, KD's Olympic #. If not than any# will do as long as he has an opportunity to get on the floor. I don't think BJ is worried about that. He is working hard on this end to be prepared for the CUSE.

That will be interesting. #35 was Coach Boeheim's number! I hope he gets it (like I said, I am praying that #5 is not available).
 
I continue to think that BJ is a very intriguing prospect, especially at the top of the zone. I see him as a 2 in our system given his offensive skill sets and frame. I believe he'll be a very effective 2 for us - can slash or hit from the perimeter. He could be a terror at the top of the zone. If Gbinije can play some point we could go 6'7" / 6'7" at the top of zone... yikes. IIRC Ennis is no shrimp either - 6'3" right?

Final comment: I think BJ would've been rated much, much higher if he were at one of the "politically connected" high school programs. Under the radar like Hakim Warrick was.
 
I continue to think that BJ is a very intriguing prospect, especially at the top of the zone. I see him as a 2 in our system given his offensive skill sets and frame. I believe he'll be a very effective 2 for us - can slash or hit from the perimeter. He could be a terror at the top of the zone. If Gbinije can play some point we could go 6'7" / 6'7" at the top of zone... yikes. IIRC Ennis is no shrimp either - 6'3" right?

Final comment: I think BJ would've been rated much, much higher if he were at one of the "politically connected" high school programs. Under the radar like Hakim Warrick was.
Completely agree, he is a sleeper relatively speaking.
But yeah, imagine him and Silent G or Buss at the top of the zone next year and after.

Not sure how many people realize, but he usually guards the opposition's best offensive player. Not sure if he covered Rondae Jefferon (McD's player) in the state finals, but Jefferson had a lousy game.
BJ Johnson: 22 points, 8/11 FTs, 6/9 FGs, 2/3 3pointers
Jefferson: 12 points, 4/14 FGs
 
Completely agree, he is a sleeper relatively speaking.
But yeah, imagine him and Silent G or Buss at the top of the zone next year and after.

Not sure how many people realize, but he usually guards the opposition's best offensive player. Not sure if he covered Rondae Jefferon (McD's player) in the state finals, but Jefferson had a lousy game.
BJ Johnson: 22 points, 8/11 FTs, 6/9 FGs, 2/3 3pointers
Jefferson: 12 points, 4/14 FGs
He guarded Jefferson at times during these meetings and did well but we usually played zone because Chester was not a good shooting team. The key was to limit them to one shot and run on O with positive results. Interesting they took pride in defending BJ in the previous matchups for the district and state titles when he was guarded by Rondae and the second best defender on their team as BJ did not have good outings against. But according to their coach as BJ was being guarded by Rondae and Kirksley the teams two best defenders in the 4th matchup. Chester's coach stated that "they overlooked BJ in their approach to the game." They couldn't guard him then and now. He could go around them at will and did in the states. I think he just needed to settle down and quietly assassinate them as a whole. Mission Accomplished.
 
so how good a handle does BJ Johnson supposedly have? is he really expected to be able to play the 2 guard spot like i've seen a number of people suggest on this board? Or is this more like southerland being able to fill in at the 2 spot in a pinch, but he's still going to be practicing with the forwards and get most of his playing time up front? The reason I ask is we could really use someone who can shoot the 3 from the perimeter and open things up for CJ and Grant inside. Mike G and Patterson and Ennis from what I hear are all competent shooting from outside, but that's not their strength, and who knows if Cooney will get his stuff figured out by next year. hopefully he will, but if he doesn't, it'd be nice to get Johnson's 3 point shooting into the game without having to sit CJ or Grant.
 
so how good a handle does BJ Johnson supposedly have? is he really expected to be able to play the 2 guard spot like i've seen a number of people suggest on this board? Or is this more like southerland being able to fill in at the 2 spot in a pinch, but he's still going to be practicing with the forwards and get most of his playing time up front? The reason I ask is we could really use someone who can shoot the 3 from the perimeter and open things up for CJ and Grant inside. Mike G and Patterson and Ennis from what I hear are all competent shooting from outside, but that's not their strength, and who knows if Cooney will get his stuff figured out by next year. hopefully he will, but if he doesn't, it'd be nice to get Johnson's 3 point shooting into the game without having to sit CJ or Grant.
He will be able to play 2-3 and pt. forward if needed as he has done up to this point. Knock down jumpers from mid range and deep. All we do is continue to work on his game from all aspects. Check out some of the highlights posted in other threads this year on this site and the recruiting site.
bj vs St Frances 12.27.12.jpg #4.jpg
 
Wow...BJ is gonna rock the Dome. Can't wait...but he needs to really hit the weight room this summer.
 
OMG .. I went from completely dejected from losing to Michigan to absolutely excited about seeing BJ suit up for 'Cuse next year.

Thanks for the great medicine, SWC!
 
22pts. 11rebs


I guess the shot clock was malfunctioning... at first I kept thinking he was nailing treys as the clock was expiring. Impressive none the less and can't wait to see him in Orange!!!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
173,916
Messages
5,120,849
Members
6,074
Latest member
CheerMom12

Online statistics

Members online
112
Guests online
737
Total visitors
849


...
Top Bottom