University of Minnesota Athletics
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Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Q & A with Brandon Johnson
1/8/2021 12:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Forward Brandon Johnson is with the Gopher men's basketball team after spending four years at Western Michigan. A Chicago native, Johnson was a three-year starter for the Western Michigan and redshirted the 2018-19 season due to injury. Now with the Gophers, Johnson is ready to make that jump to Big Ten basketball. Get to know Johnson in this question/answer session. (This feature was originally posted in the Iowa game program).
Gophersports: You transferred to Minnesota after taking a virtual tour instead of visiting in person. Walk us through that process.
Brandon Johnson: It was definitely an interesting process. I talked about it with my family and friends for a couple weeks deciding if I should transfer or not, but we came to the decision that it would be the best option for me. When I was hearing from schools that were reaching out to me it made me remember when I used to watch a lot of college basketball growing up and I was like "wow, this school is calling me." I was feeling like an incoming freshman all over again. It was definitely difficult because I was talking to certain schools and had to take virtual tours, it made me do a lot of research myself on those certain schools. It was definitely interesting, but I am thankful for the opportunity for sure.
GS: What made you settle on being a Golden Gopher? What about the process drew you to the Maroon and Gold?
BJ: It was the fit. It felt like it was the perfect match on both sides. It's not too far away from home, so if I need to go back home for anything, I wouldn't be 10-plus hours away, so that's a blessing. Plus, I got to know some of the guys during the recruiting process and they all seem really chill and really cool. I had multiple conversations with them over the phone before I even committed, so it was definitely interesting. They all showed me love
since the first day we got in contact. It was every coach on the staff and every player, so it felt like a perfect match for me.
GS: As a grad transfer, it means you already have your degree from Western Michigan as you wrapped that up through four years there. What was your degree in at Western Michigan and now what are you studying here at Minnesota in your grad program?
BJ: At Western Michigan I graduated with a degree in University Studies. Here, I am in the Youth Development program. I'm working on my master's in that and later on after basketball I plan on being an athletic director for a college or university. That plan is if coaching doesn't work out because I want to be a coach, too.
GS: What about your experience as a player and even now going through a transfer could you use when you eventually get into coaching and can call upon your own experience to help young people out?
BJ: Everything that I have been through the past couple months, especially how things have been with COVID, you have to learn how to adapt. That's one thing that I feel like I can bring into the coaching world and I will be able to relate a lot with players through their struggles and trials and tribulations because there is a lot that I have been through in the past couple years of college. I've had good people along the way and I just want to be one of those good people to the up and coming generation.
GS: You mentioned that part of the reason that you came to Minnesota was because it is close or closer at least to your home city of Chicago. Have you seen some similarities in the time you've been able to get out here between the Twin Cities and the Windy City?
BJ: For sure. Minneapolis is a beautiful city, it's like a home away from home pretty much because I've been in the city pretty much my entire life, so I'm accustomed to the city environment. It's a good change for sure.
GS: Did you play other sports as a young kid?
BJ: I played football. My dad played baseball in high school and was trying to get me into baseball, but I really wasn't too into it. I played football for about three years from about sixth to ninth grade. I was the quarterback and the defensive end.
GS: Did you then go specialized when you knew college was on the horizon for basketball?
BJ: I actually didn't want to stop playing football. I wanted to do both, but my mom hates football. Like completely hates it. It's such a physical sport and just the thought of my possibly getting hurt scared her to death. She said I couldn't do it anymore and said, "you've got a lot of potential in basketball". I told her "mom, I love both games", but I had to make a decision.
GS: I know you like to play video games. How much are you into Madden at this point?
BJ: I am, but just not as much as I was in the past. I now mainly play basketball like NBA 2K. My teammates at my former school weren't really into football, so it was kind of hard. Here there are a couple guys that like to play Madden, I might have to get back into the swing of things.
GS: If we were to listen to your headphones during pregame, if it was piped over the loudspeaker, what music would we hear? What style do you like and who are some of your favorite artists?
BJ: Mine is all over the place. I don't have a certain style that I listen to before games. If I like a song, I just play it. It ranges from like Drake to old school music like The Temptations. My parents got me on music like that. Here and there a Michael Jackson song, Lil Baby and pretty much the other mainstream rappers today.
GS: Is there a single song that puts you in a good mood when you're feeling a little bit down and have to put that on to get a smile on your face?
BJ: For that, it would be an old school song for me. It would be "Outstanding" by The Gap Band. I heard that song so many times growing up dancing with
my mom and other family members.
Gophersports: You transferred to Minnesota after taking a virtual tour instead of visiting in person. Walk us through that process.
Brandon Johnson: It was definitely an interesting process. I talked about it with my family and friends for a couple weeks deciding if I should transfer or not, but we came to the decision that it would be the best option for me. When I was hearing from schools that were reaching out to me it made me remember when I used to watch a lot of college basketball growing up and I was like "wow, this school is calling me." I was feeling like an incoming freshman all over again. It was definitely difficult because I was talking to certain schools and had to take virtual tours, it made me do a lot of research myself on those certain schools. It was definitely interesting, but I am thankful for the opportunity for sure.
GS: What made you settle on being a Golden Gopher? What about the process drew you to the Maroon and Gold?
BJ: It was the fit. It felt like it was the perfect match on both sides. It's not too far away from home, so if I need to go back home for anything, I wouldn't be 10-plus hours away, so that's a blessing. Plus, I got to know some of the guys during the recruiting process and they all seem really chill and really cool. I had multiple conversations with them over the phone before I even committed, so it was definitely interesting. They all showed me love
since the first day we got in contact. It was every coach on the staff and every player, so it felt like a perfect match for me.
GS: As a grad transfer, it means you already have your degree from Western Michigan as you wrapped that up through four years there. What was your degree in at Western Michigan and now what are you studying here at Minnesota in your grad program?
BJ: At Western Michigan I graduated with a degree in University Studies. Here, I am in the Youth Development program. I'm working on my master's in that and later on after basketball I plan on being an athletic director for a college or university. That plan is if coaching doesn't work out because I want to be a coach, too.
GS: What about your experience as a player and even now going through a transfer could you use when you eventually get into coaching and can call upon your own experience to help young people out?
BJ: Everything that I have been through the past couple months, especially how things have been with COVID, you have to learn how to adapt. That's one thing that I feel like I can bring into the coaching world and I will be able to relate a lot with players through their struggles and trials and tribulations because there is a lot that I have been through in the past couple years of college. I've had good people along the way and I just want to be one of those good people to the up and coming generation.
GS: You mentioned that part of the reason that you came to Minnesota was because it is close or closer at least to your home city of Chicago. Have you seen some similarities in the time you've been able to get out here between the Twin Cities and the Windy City?
BJ: For sure. Minneapolis is a beautiful city, it's like a home away from home pretty much because I've been in the city pretty much my entire life, so I'm accustomed to the city environment. It's a good change for sure.
GS: Did you play other sports as a young kid?
BJ: I played football. My dad played baseball in high school and was trying to get me into baseball, but I really wasn't too into it. I played football for about three years from about sixth to ninth grade. I was the quarterback and the defensive end.
GS: Did you then go specialized when you knew college was on the horizon for basketball?
BJ: I actually didn't want to stop playing football. I wanted to do both, but my mom hates football. Like completely hates it. It's such a physical sport and just the thought of my possibly getting hurt scared her to death. She said I couldn't do it anymore and said, "you've got a lot of potential in basketball". I told her "mom, I love both games", but I had to make a decision.
GS: I know you like to play video games. How much are you into Madden at this point?
BJ: I am, but just not as much as I was in the past. I now mainly play basketball like NBA 2K. My teammates at my former school weren't really into football, so it was kind of hard. Here there are a couple guys that like to play Madden, I might have to get back into the swing of things.
GS: If we were to listen to your headphones during pregame, if it was piped over the loudspeaker, what music would we hear? What style do you like and who are some of your favorite artists?
BJ: Mine is all over the place. I don't have a certain style that I listen to before games. If I like a song, I just play it. It ranges from like Drake to old school music like The Temptations. My parents got me on music like that. Here and there a Michael Jackson song, Lil Baby and pretty much the other mainstream rappers today.
GS: Is there a single song that puts you in a good mood when you're feeling a little bit down and have to put that on to get a smile on your face?
BJ: For that, it would be an old school song for me. It would be "Outstanding" by The Gap Band. I heard that song so many times growing up dancing with
my mom and other family members.
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