In the University of Hawai’i basketball team’s search for post players and leaders during this preseason, Gibson Johnson has not been hesitant to raise his hand for both roles.
“I know I’m the only person that has experience at the center, so I feel that my role as a junior and as someone that has played center before (in junior college) … I’m going to have to play a lot of center,” said Johnson, a 6-foot-8 transfer from Salt Lake Community College. “I’m used to guarding big guys in the post, and I can stretch the floor, so that’s going to be my role.”
Johnson is one of just five active players on the roster competing for rotation spots at the center and power forward positions (true freshmen Ido Flaisher and Zigmars Raimo, sophomore Jack Purchase and junior Darryl Matthews are the others).
Although Johnson’s size might be better suited for the power forward spot, he said he is willing to take on the role of center, if that is what the team needs right now.
“This style of offense is perfect for me because not only do we work inside out, I grew up (playing) a guard,” he said. “I learned how to shoot the 3, I always was passing; now that I’m playing in the post, I can still use those skills as a 5.”
Johnson, who was on the junior college national championship team at Salt Lake CC last season, is also emerging as a vocal leader among the group of current UH post players.
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“Growing up, I went to a lot of Rick Majerus camps at the University of Utah and he always really focused on being vocal,” Johnson said. “All my coaches growing up instilled that in me. I’m a super-competitive person and so that kind of shows on the floor through me talking.”
Johnson is one of 10 newcomers to the UH roster this season, but he has been on the island since July. In addition to being a part of the championship team – Electricians Hawaii – in the College Basketball Summer League, Johnson has had time to adjust to life on and off the Manoa campus.
“We’re in the basketball gym a lot; there’s not a whole lot of days we can get out, but when we do have days off, I’ll go to Makapu’u Beach or something like that,” he said. “I like to see Hawai’i, but the people are great here and that’s a big reason why I came here.”