A Pair of Squires Show and Prove

Ron Bailey, Publisher

James Tyler (left) and Karron Johnson represented the Richmond Squires well at the recent NBAPA Top 100 camp. They are shown here, between sessions.

July 5, 2006 - The Richmond Squires have long been a national AAU factor, having boasted the likes of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Amare Stoudemire, Marco Killingsworth, and a host of others. The Squires currently have two young men that may conceivably belong in that line of distinguished ballers - Karron Johnson and James Tyler.

At the recent NBA Players Association Camp in Richmond, VA both distinguished themselves, for different reasons. Tyler, a 350 lb center showed all in attendance he has improved drastically, while Johnson, a forward, put on such a display, that he will now be considered one of the best young high school players in the land.

Same, Yet Different Guy

The previous knock on James “Baby Shaq” Tyler, a 7’3” rising senior center who previously tipped the scales at over 420 pounds, was he was immobile, and lacked intensity for the game. Despite having lost 70-75 pounds, Tyler is not content, as he said, “It is still a work in progress. But I’m still working on it”.

Reshaping his body has changed his playing style on the court. “My focus is just banging hard, playing hard, you know what I mean?” said Tyler, who went on to reveal “I like to bang hard in the post”.

Previously this was not the case, as James admitted “I was a lot lazier back then”. Now, Tyler feels the point has been reached where he’s “a lot more focused”.

Tony Squire, director of the Richmond Squire organization and a long time national hoops figure, shared an interesting comment regarding Tyler’s improvement: “I think Bob Gibbons said it best, he’s probably the most amazing kid from one year to the next. From the three years when James’ parents called me and brought him up here (from Murfreesboro, North Carolina) he’s went from being 420lbs and couldn’t dunk…would run up and down the floor and get too tired, no skill level, to what you are seeing now”.

According to Squire, that is “a 7 foot 3, 350lb kid who runs the floor very well, has great hands, has a knack for the game, and a chip on his shoulder”. That attitude has been engendered, according to Tony, “from all the people who said he would never amount to anything…he has something to prove’.

Elaborating further, Squires said “You and I know, you can’t teach, 7 foot and 350”. But you can teach basketball’s fundamentals and develop the requisite physical fitness to succeed in the game. The man Squire calls “probably the best unknown workout guy in the country” Kent Greenway” has been instrumental in developing both in Tyler.

Reached via telephone, Greenway, a sixth year workout guru with significant high school coaching experience, shared he has focused on improving Tyler’s “footwork and flexibility”, in addition to helping the kid lose “another 25 pounds”. Regarding specific moves, Greenway is helping James patent “a right hand jump hook and counter”, with the latter comprised of “spinning back inside” when a defender overplays the first option.

To effectuate these changes in James’ body and skill set, Greenway works out the big man as a total basketball player: Tyler performs the same drills as guards, forwards and of course centers, in the workouts. According to Kent their grueling workouts which last “about half an hour” since “That’s really about all they can take” include, amongst other things, running to the opposite baseline, and returning to shooting spots, at which time they have to hit five shots from each spot, and performing “pushups off two balls”. The net effect of these drills, that Greenway has developed through his experience and also gleans from NBA and college fitness/skill specialists, is not only to expand a player’s physical capacity, but “put up 150-200 game shots” a session.

The fruits of this work were evident in the NBA Player’s Camp, where James ran the floor, clogged the middle, and displayed decent footwork. In his first game, he scored 16 points, which tied him for second in camp scoring for the event’s initial contest. Tyler was also a force at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions this spring, where he battled D.C. Assault’s all-world frontcourt combo of Mike Beasley and Julian Vaughan, tooth and nail.

Colleges see the change. Tyler indicated “Memphis, LSU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami, Florida State” and others have shown interest. He tentatively plans to end the recruiting process, which Squire labeled “wide open”, the end of his senior year. LSU and Memphis may currently have a slight lead, given his good friends (and Richmond Squire alumni) Chris Johnson and Shawn Taggert attend those schools, respectively.

New Jack is Getting’ It

Karron Johnson has what the Squire’s director Squire, describes as having “some of that dog in him”. No, that doesn’t mean he coasts or ‘dogs it’. What is meant is that Johnson competes at a high level, and is fearless. That mentality was amply on display at the NBAPA event.

Standing around 6’7” and weighing 223, this rising sophomore at Lenoir, NC’s Patterson School repeatedly slashed to the basket, battled bigger and older players around the rim, and filled and finished on the break. Some of those plays were breathtaking.

When asked to describe his playing style, Johnson responded “It depends on the defender. If he’s smaller than me, I’m going to the post. If he’s slower than me, I’m going to take him outside”.

In addition to this event, Johnson exhibited that “dog” at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions, this spring. In that memorable contest versus the always formidable DC Assault, Karron attacked the rim, defended, and even hit the game winning shot from 35 feet. In short, he was a terror. Squire thinks that game was Johnson’s coming out party.

Squire also compares Johnson favorably, to one of the best ever to lace ‘em up in Richmond/Petersburg, as he said, “I told people after one year, that he might be the best to come out of this area, since Moses Malone”. That comparison is not based upon skill set, but mentality. “He’s got a fire in him that never goes out” shared Squire.

Though Johnson’s game is impressive for a player of any age, let alone somebody of his youth, Karron was quick to state the facets of hoops he must improve in. “I think I need to improve my ball handling and my jump shot” he said. “And work on defense more”.

Greenway, the skill/fitness expert Squire labeled “the unknown assassin with the workout thing” agreed with Karron’s self-assessment, and added specifics regarding the young man’s development plan. “We want to make the jump shot more consistent” he said. That would entail improving Johnson’s “elevation on the jumper out to three (point land)”.

In his opinion, the need to firmly establish Johnson’s perimeter shooting skill is an unintended consequence of the young man’s ability to attack the rim. “Karron, being as athletic as he is, hasn’t worked on his jumper as much” stated Greenway, “because he would just dunk on everybody”.

Despite having completed his freshman year, colleges are expressing interest. According to Karron, “Virginia Tech, UVA, LSU, Louisville, Memphis, Arizona” and many others have expressed interest.

A proud Richmond native, Karron doesn’t shirk from representing Virginia’s capital city on the court. “I feel good about it (hailing from Richmond) he said. “Because I’m the only young guy from the city, doing my thing”.

A Dangerous Tandem

Greenway, for one, praised both young men’s work ethic profusely, saying “I’m thrilled with the way these kids have dedicated themselves” to improving, as they dutifully report for workout sessions virtually “everyday”. It would seem that both Tyler and Johnson have taken to heart Greenway’s oft-uttered, paraphrased saying: “Greatness comes not from doing what you want to do, or what you don’t want to do, but what’s necessary”.

The two will both bring that ethos to Patterson next year. Having attended IMG in Bradenton, FL last year, Tyler stated “I will be with my friend Karron” during the upcoming season. Future prep school foes beware.