By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Coming off a foot injury, McAllen Memorial’s D.J. Johnson was hesitant on the court.
Coach Sam Cortez saw it in Johnson’s lack of explosiveness. Though he had distinguished himself as one of the Valley’s top athletes, Johnson saw his season averages dip from his sophomore year.
“He wasn’t himself,” Cortez said. “He was playing with fear, like he was on eggshells. His confidence wasn’t there, and that’s half the battle.”
Just eight games into his senior year, Johnson is beginning to fulfill his potential. He’s averaging 21 points per game, leading the Mustangs to a 5-3 record, while facing out-of-area competition.
“Now that he’s healthy, it’s like he’s a totally different player out there,” Cortez said.
Gradually, Johnson is beginning to take form. Less than 24 hours after the school’s football team was eliminated from the playoffs, the wide receiver suited up for the basketball squad, taking part in the Mustangs’ second game on Nov. 21.
Initially, Johnson showed rust. He poured in a game-high 26 points against Sharyland High, but he missed four dunks on his way to a 59-39 victory.
“It’s almost there,” Johnson said. “I’m trying to get my basketball legs, but I’ll get there.”
Johnson’s explosiveness has been evident early in the season. During a 16-team tournament in New Braunfels, Johnson wowed the crowd with his vertical leap. It isn’t so much the dunks that have drawn attention, but rather his ability to soar above the rim and hammer dunks.
On Thursday, he drew awes from the crowd as he tried to flush a two-handed lob, before hitting the back of the rim during a 62-55 win over Brownsville Rivera on the opening day of the Craig Smith Tournament.
Johnson struggles, at times, finding a balance between carrying the scoring load and trying to help the team as a facilitator. Though he’s shown an ability to charge down the lane and score at will, Johnson said he doesn’t necessarily want to monopolize the offense.
“I want to get my teammates involved,” he said.
He had two assists on Thursday, and had a few opportunities that never materialized. When Brownsville Rivera made a short-lived rally during the second half, though, Johnson spotted up and buried a 3-pointer that put the Mustangs up 49-28 with 7:18 left to play.
His outside shot is part of an evolving game that took form during the offseason, when he played on travel ball teams. It was around that point last season that Johnson broke his foot on the basketball court, limiting his action for the football team in 2014. But Johnson stayed the course, showcasing his abilities in Houston and Las Vegas, among other places, and it helped him generate interest from colleges.
Recently, Cortez has fielded calls from recruiters asking for Johnson’s highlight reel and information. At the Border Olympics, a St. Mary’s coach took in a McAllen Memorial game and “was shocked (seeing Johnson) because you could tell he was the best player out there,” Cortez said.
Johnson had two monster dunks against Alamo Heights — a game the Mustangs wound up losing at the buzzer, despite 20 points from the 6-foot-6, 195-pound post.
While the foot injury might have slowed Johnson a year ago, the senior believes it made him a smarter player. He’s working on his getting his legs back stronger, and he’s beginning to build his confidence back up as the Mustangs come together.
“The most important thing this year is, he’s healthy,” Cortez said. “He’s already got that out of his head, his injuries. You could tell, too. Last year, he didn’t want to get in the paint. He would settle for outside shots. Now, he’s asking for the ball inside, blowing by people. That’s the major difference.”