Assume this kid from Loudoun can play

Ron Bailey, Publisher

This hooper hails from Loudoun County, VA, possessing major game.

December 28th, 2010 - Though he's hit the travel circuit for a number of teams, including the SPB Stars (Ashburn, VA), Trailblazers (Mitchellville, MD), DC Assault (Capital area), Boo Williams (Tidewater, VA) and Team Takeover (Capital area), Nigel Johnson is really a Loudoun County, VA kid. A bedroom community in the suburbs of Washington, DC, that locale is well known for producing football talent, not necessarily roundball players. Inevitably the 5'11", 165 pound sophomore guard hears rumblings that he's not a player, that somehow he can't get it done with guys from DC, Philly, New York and elsewhere.

How does he respond to these assumptions, made by those who haven't seen him play?

"That comes up quite a bit" recounted Johnson's dad, Sydney. "Nigel isn't a big talker, he just plays. He goes at you...He brings his lunch pail everyday".

Nigel Johnson in Broad Run silks.

Earlier this season at Broad Run High School (VA), that included two 30 point games and one in which he dropped 25 in two and a half quarters, output that has helped propel that school to a 3-0 mark then. There and on the circuit, he's shown an ability to shoot in an efficient manner, including according to Sydney utilize "good separation moves, shoot anywhere on the court". For the stat- focused add 5.5 assists and four steals per contest to Johnson's early high school season numbers.

Of course the ability to tickle the twine that Nigel has is a direct result of hard work. Just witness his workout schedule.

"For the first 20 minutes ball handling, then after that get three to four hundred shots up" shared the laid back Nigel of what he does when working out. "Then off the dribble shots and free throws". Many of his sessions take place at Hoop Magic Sports Academy in Loudoun County, one of the premier indoor sports facilities on the East Coast. Johnson added "Over the summer I'm usually there three or four times a week. Sometimes I'm there with a trainer".

That last point, summer work, is important as that's when players better themselves, and instructive in that he finds time to drill despite generally practicing for and traveling with elite travel teams; doing so illustrates a good work ethic. Of those AAU experiences, Johnson is grateful: "It makes it (his game) better because I'm playing against other high level comp and kids from all over the country".

Being such a good shooter - having an older brother that played at Herndon High School (VA) with ex-Villanova great Scottie Reynolds has helped Johnson, who saw how good guards can score, first hand early on - many travel team coaches have valued his ability to drop points from the outside, maybe to a fault. Just ask his mother, Catrina: "That's why he's been in a number of AAU situations...People want to use him for his shooting ability. Coaches get enamored with that. They focus on that. Definitely its about winning games, but we need to get him into a situation where he can be a point guard".

His father, Sydney, indicated Broad Run allows Nigel to do that, as will any future travel team crew. In addition to solidifying his lead guard experience, expect this backcourt guy with a 6'3 - 6'4" wingspan to continue developing his help side defense and playing with consistent intensity, both points of improvement he acknowledges.

"Just keep working harder, playing harder" was relayed as the recipe for improving intensity, while concerning help defense Nigel will "just work on focusing".

In doing so, more than UVA, Virginia Tech, VCU, American University and Vanderbilt, schools Nigel relayed as showing interest, will in the future.

And then maybe, future kids from Loudoun County will not have to deal with those same negative assumptions.