He might not have lead the team in scoring a year ago, but the Gamecocks’ success this season will likely hinge on how far senior point guard Tyrone Johnson can take them.
Sophomore swingman Sindarius Thornwell and Johnson should be the main one-two punch for South Carolina's scoring, but Johnson will influence the game in other areas. He will have to set up his teammates for open shots, play opposing guards tough on defense and be the vocal leader offensively to make sure things run smoothly.
Johnson also wants to build on his best collegiate season (11.2 points and 3.4 assists per game) that was shortened to just 16 games because of a broken foot.
It was admittedly a difficult experience for him to miss the last half of the season, but he did everything he could to try to be an older brother to his young teammates on and off the floor.
Support from all around helped him sustain the drive it took to get back to playing at a high level during this preseason.
“With the mental process, I kind of had my teammates and my family still supporting me in my ear,” Johnson said. “They were telling me to always continue to be the best person that you can possibly be whether it’s on the court or off the court.”
Once he healed, the lone senior on head coach Frank Martin's team returned to working on his game nonstop. Whether it was shooting, defense or ball-handling, Johnson spent countless hours on improving his. He spent an extra month in May working with strength and conditioning coach Scott Greenawalt and trainer Mark Rodger to get his speed and quickness back.
Martin felt terrible for Johnson when the guard went down last year because the senior was starting to accept the coaching staffs' lessons, which led to early-season success.
Martin also applauded Johnson for the steps he took after the injury.
“He was starting to taste it, and the team was starting to play well because he was starting to accept it, and then he broke his foot,” Martin said. “What I’ve been proudest with him is that he didn’t go backwards.”
Johnson's teammates said several times last season that, even with his absence on the floor, he was valuable during games. Players like Thornwell, center Demetrius Henry and guard Duane Notice were all freshmen at the time, and Johnson made sure to make their adjustment to the college game easier.
After leaving his hometown high school in Plainfield, New Jersey, Johnson played at basketball hotbed Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Maryland along with fellow Gamecock Michael Carrera. Johnson shined in the program that was also the stomping grounds for NBA superstar Kevin Durant.
Johnson then played for coach Jay Wright at Villanova before transferring to South Carolina.
In his first year with the Gamecocks, the NCAA ruled that he did not have to sit out a semester for the transfer.
He said in a press conference earlier this week that he didn't have any nerves to get back on the court in a regular season game — he said he got them all out during the Gamecocks’ exhibition against Benedict College where he had 23 points, six rebounds and six assists in a 92-47 win.
If Johnson can put up those numbers regularly during the season, South Carolina will exceed expectations.
Johnson said he won't set any team goals to start, wanting them to focus on the little things first before they really begin to think big.
Martin hopes Johnson can continue to improve as a vocal leader while he’s on the floor. The coach said sometimes Johnson is still too quiet as a point guard and gets in his own zone, causing him to forget to communicate with his teammates.
But as far as personal goals go, Johnson said he wants to be better than last year and maximize his potential. He wants to prove he’s the best player and a leader each time he steps on the court.
“I just told myself ‘When I’m able to play again, I’m just going to bring it my all,’” Johnson said. “It’s my last go-around, and I have wanted to prepare myself. And I think to this point, I’m prepared.”