Terrell Johnson- A Rising Star?

Terrell Johnson is a 5'9 guard for the Hunting Park Warriors (PA) AAU program. Johnson, a freshman, is part of the U-15 squad. Although the team had a rough showing at the Pitt Jam Fest this past weekend, it was clear that they have a solid nucleus of players, including Johnson and 6'7 Eric Copes. The Warriors had a tough loss to Team New Jersey ABC, blowing a big lead late in the game. The defeat, though, couldn't stop Terrell Johnson from shining for Hunting Park. I caught up with him after the game.

NB: That was a tough loss out there, but you played . . . well. What went into your performance personally?
TJ: [I] played [well], but at the end it really didn’t mean nothing because we lost. With the bad call at the end, we didn’t get the call.

NB: What do you think happened down the [stretch], . . . other than that? . . . The team . . . had an 11 point lead with two minutes to go. What went wrong?
TJ: The trap came on, and I guess . . . our team wasn’t ready for it.

NB: What high school do you attend?
TJ: Imotep Charter High School in Philadelphia.

NB: Have you been receiving any college interest at this point?
TJ: No.

NB: Are you interested in playing college ball in the future?
TJ: Yes.

NB: Is there a college that you’ve always been dreaming of going to, that growing up you’ve . . . rooted for?
TJ: North Carolina or Memphis.

NB: What makes those two stand out to you?
TJ: [They stand out] because Memphis plays fast, and I like to play fast.

NB: Playing AAU basketball compared to [playing] high school basketball, what do you see as some of the differences and similarities?
TJ: The intensity [is] always high, and you [have] always . . . got to be physical.

NB: How do you think it helps you to be able to work on your game throughout the entire spring and summer, after the [high school] basketball season is over? What do you think is the main [thing that] it does for you? Is it conditioning, is it your shot, what’s the primary way?
TJ: Conditioning.

NB: What do you think is the [biggest] strength of your game? If you had to pick one things that you think stands out and . . . puts you above others, what would it be?
TJ: My leadership.

NB: What about your biggest weakness?
TJ: Probably [my] . . . physical attributes.

NB: Why do you think . . . that’s something that bring you down a notch?
TJ: Because I’m little, and sometimes bigger guards try to push me around, but it don’t work because I know how to handle it.

NB: Do you think there’s any ways that being a smaller guard can help you?
TJ: Yes, because I can dip through [traffic], and my jumping ability helps me.

Terrell Johnson might not be a hot commodity right now, but he may well be next summer. He has nice moves, good quickness, and scoring ability. Johnson had over 15 points against NJABC, and he showed a solid overall game. Terrell Johnson is the real deal, and although this may be the first you are hearing of him, it won't be the last.