WKU Basketball: Justin Johnson Preseason Preview
If the Hilltoppers want to be successful this year, Justin Johnson is going to have to play a big, big role.
If the Hilltoppers want to be successful this year, Justin Johnson is going to have to play a big, big role.
But, that doesn’t necessarily mean a big on-court role.
As one of only two returning players from a season ago, it’ll be pivotal for Johnson to be the bridge between what went well for the Toppers last year and to help facilitate to everyone what Western Kentucky basketball is all about.
On the court, Johnson looks to, at worst, replicate a year which saw him lead the Toppers in points (14.5) and rebounds (9.4) per game.
While it’s always great to have someone who can finish on the offensive end in the paint, where Johnson makes his mark felt is on the defensive glass. Last year, he saw his defensive rebounds per game jump from 4.8 in his sophomore season to 6.8 last season. Not even George Fant was that effective on defense (Fant’s highest career defensive rebounding average was 5.2 his senior season).
The big question surrounding Johnson this year is: Who will be his great compliment? The aforementioned Fant was so effective because he had T.J. Price for four years to be his counterbalance — Fant was strong and muscled his way to the hoop down low while Price was quick and could shoot from outside.
Luckily, if this roster plays the way it should, Johnson will have no trouble finding that counterbalance guy. In fact, with the amount of talent we are expecting to see this year, there might be three or four guys who fill that role, and Johnson is “downgraded,” to being a pure rebounder.
Johnson posting 15/9 a night, or even 9/15 a night, might be exactly what WKU needs in order to stay competitive throughout the year. However, if it’s another season where Johnson is leading the team in points or rebounds, it might be another long road to hoe.
What do you think of Johnson’s upcoming year for WKU? What will he need to do if the Toppers want to be effective? Let us know in a comment below, via Twitter at @TheTowelRackWKU or on our Facebook page.