At 6-foot-9-inches and 245 pounds, Brian Johnson is hard to miss. Many Mississippi State basketball fans know him as that guy first up off the bench to congratulate his fellow teammates.
However, underneath that cheerful disposition is a man dying for points and playing time.
Johnson, who transferred to MSU last summer from Louisville, had to sit out this season due to the NCAA transfer rule.
While sitting out a season might not seem like a major concern to some, Johnson describes this season as extremely tough.
“For someone like me who loves the game, it’s real difficult for me right now not being out there helping the team,” he said. “But I’m giving the guys a lot of support right now. It’s the best I can do.”
Johnson, who played at Oak Hill Academy – the same high school as current State player Jamont Gordon – was a highly touted arrival when he joined Louisville.
But Johnson spent most of his time there on the mend.
During the Cardinals’ 2004 Final Four run, Johnson was recovering from three knee operations in a six-month span.
He said that he has tried to take the lessons he learned from that Final Four team and instill them in this young Bulldog club.
“Even though I was hurt for much of that season, just watching those guys in practice I was able to learn a lot from them,” he said. “I learned what it takes to be a winner, and I try to relay that message to our guys.”
Even though he left Louisville two seasons later, Johnson said he enjoyed his overall experience there.
He also feels he’s made a good decision in coming to State.
“I have mixed feelings over the whole issue, but for the most part, it was a great learning experience for me, and I know what I learned there will prepare me for next year.”
A native of Laurinburg, N.C., and now a Maryland resident, Johnson could have chosen to transfer to one of the many ACC colleges in the area.
He chose to be a Bulldog instead.
“I looked at other schools like North Carolina State, George Mason and George Washington, but I really wanted to get away from that area and just start over,” Johnson said.
Those who have followed Mississippi State basketball through the years know that State has produced some of college basketball’s best low-post players.
From Erick Dampier or Tyrone Washington to Mario Austin or Lawrence Roberts, Johnson said that such an elite group was his deciding factor in becoming a Bulldog.
“If you look at the stats, they have been known for getting the ball to the big man,” Johnson said. “That was definitely one of the things I looked at. I also felt I could come in and make an impact next season along-side Charles Rhodes.”
While at MSU, Johnson hopes to achieve as much off-court success as he does on court.
“I want to get my degree in business management. Next year I’ll be a senior, but a sophomore in terms of my playing eligibility, so while I have that extra time I also hope to work on my master’s,” he said.
So, while he may have to sit out this season, State fans can rest assured this will be the only season they see Brian Johnson at the end of the MSU bench.