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Q&A: Jarvis Johnson on Gophers: "Great talks all the time with Ben and Coach P. "
Q&A: Jarvis Johnson on Gophers: "Great talks all the time with Ben and Coach P. "
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/399276?referrer_id=331171
Jarvis Johnson, a 2015 point guard from Minneapolis (MN) DeLaSalle, recently took an unofficial to Minnesota and this past weekend participated in the Gophers Team Camp. He has been a major recruiting priority for Richard Pitino since the day he arrived on campus.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Johnson to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You were recently invited to the Victor Oladipo/Ty Lawson Camp in July. There are only 60 players selected, so it is a big honor. How pleased are you to receive that invitation?
Jarvis Johnson: Oh, man. At first, it was a surprise, but then I told myself that this is the events that I should be going to. It is a great feeling to get that type of attention.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you are going to be playing against some of the top players in the country in your position. What are you hoping to gain from that experience and show about your abilities as well?
Jarvis Johnson: Show my abilities, like you said. Get to learn stuff from other players. Try to get to know everybody. Just have fun, really.
Gopher Hole: You have a couple of AAU teammates in Alex Illikainen and Sacar Anim going there as well. Does that help knowing a few of the guys plus you have gotten to know some of the others through the EYBL circuit?
Jarvis Johnson: You just go down there a little bit more comfortable, knowing that you have got some support with whoever is coming with. It will be nice with those two coming.
Gopher Hole: How pleased are you with how well things have been going AAU-wise? You started a little bit slow in Sacramento going 1-3, but you played well the rest of the spring and have advanced to the Peach Jam?
Jarvis Johnson: I am really happy with what we are doing right now. Hopefully, we should make a run at Peach Jam, actually, so when the time comes, we just have to have fun and play the way that we do.
Gopher Hole: How about your health? I know that you had a concussion at the third EYBL event.
Jarvis Johnson: It was mild. It is fine now. Nothing major.
Gopher Hole: You played very well in the Clash of Classes a few weeks ago and were named MVP. How do you think that your individual play has been this spring and summer?
Jarvis Johnson: It started off a little slow. I picked it back up. I am ready to go for July. Ready for July. Ready for Peach Jam.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on schools you are hearing from right now?
Jarvis Johnson: Baylor, Wichita State and UNLV. Those are the three off the top of my head.
Gopher Hole: How many offers are you up to right now?
Jarvis Johnson: To be honest, I don't even know.
Gopher Hole: I assume that you have learned along the way that recruiting is a business. I know that Michigan State was a school that you are looking at and they recently added two transfers and maybe aren't looking at guards as much as before. Is that something you look at the different rosters and how quickly you can play at the various schools?
Jarvis Johnson: Yes. Most definitely. I want to be a freshman that plays when I go in. I don't really want to sit too much. That is one thing that I look for. "Who will be there and who will be what grade and what age."
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what schools you want to take official visits to?
Jarvis Johnson: Not really yet. Haven't really thought about it. I am kind of waiting until after July, the recruiting period to settle down. See what I get there. I'll make my decision of where I want to go from there.
Gopher Hole: Have you decided if you are going to try to sign in the fall? Have you thought that far ahead?
Jarvis Johnson: I thought about it. I think late September.
Gopher Hole: What is going to be the main factors that makes you pick School A over School B or C?
Jarvis Johnson: I would say whatever fits my game the most. Where I am most comfortable with. Where there is a great education and as long as my family can come down and watch me. I always say, that is a big thing for me. That is probably what is important at this point.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, your family could watch you play here. What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Jarvis Johnson: I actually recently took an unofficial here two weeks ago, so great things. Great talks all the time with Ben and Coach P. There is good things at the "U."
Gopher Hole: There are often one or two Gophers coaches watching you at different events, but at the team camp, all the coaches were watching you. Is that something you notice out of the corner of your eye watching you or do you try not to notice or is something that is hard not to?
Jarvis Johnson: I have gotten so used to it that I just blank it out, so I just go out there and play. I don't really worry too much about the coaches.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe play for the home state school?
Jarvis Johnson: That would be fun. I know that the fans would be crazy. My family wouldn't have to drive too far. I've always kind of liked to play for the hometown state. Everybody knows you and you are well-known around the State of Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch the much during the N.I.T. run?
Jarvis Johnson: I didn't really. We had our own tournament, but I got to catch a little bit of the games, though.
Gopher Hole: You would be one of the very few to possibly win four straight state titles. What would that mean to you?
Jarvis Johnson: Oh, man, that would be history for me. We always talk about it in the locker room. Some schools have won three. That would be one of the greatest things that ever happened in Minnesota, winning four state championships. I know Henry did it. Lawrence McKenzie, a U of M grad. We talked a little bit about it. We used to work out together, so he talked about winning the fourth one. It was a crazy, unbelievable feeling.
Q&A: Jarvis Johnson on Gophers: "Great talks all the time with Ben and Coach P. "
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/399276?referrer_id=331171
Jarvis Johnson, a 2015 point guard from Minneapolis (MN) DeLaSalle, recently took an unofficial to Minnesota and this past weekend participated in the Gophers Team Camp. He has been a major recruiting priority for Richard Pitino since the day he arrived on campus.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Johnson to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You were recently invited to the Victor Oladipo/Ty Lawson Camp in July. There are only 60 players selected, so it is a big honor. How pleased are you to receive that invitation?
Jarvis Johnson: Oh, man. At first, it was a surprise, but then I told myself that this is the events that I should be going to. It is a great feeling to get that type of attention.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you are going to be playing against some of the top players in the country in your position. What are you hoping to gain from that experience and show about your abilities as well?
Jarvis Johnson: Show my abilities, like you said. Get to learn stuff from other players. Try to get to know everybody. Just have fun, really.
Gopher Hole: You have a couple of AAU teammates in Alex Illikainen and Sacar Anim going there as well. Does that help knowing a few of the guys plus you have gotten to know some of the others through the EYBL circuit?
Jarvis Johnson: You just go down there a little bit more comfortable, knowing that you have got some support with whoever is coming with. It will be nice with those two coming.
Gopher Hole: How pleased are you with how well things have been going AAU-wise? You started a little bit slow in Sacramento going 1-3, but you played well the rest of the spring and have advanced to the Peach Jam?
Jarvis Johnson: I am really happy with what we are doing right now. Hopefully, we should make a run at Peach Jam, actually, so when the time comes, we just have to have fun and play the way that we do.
Gopher Hole: How about your health? I know that you had a concussion at the third EYBL event.
Jarvis Johnson: It was mild. It is fine now. Nothing major.
Gopher Hole: You played very well in the Clash of Classes a few weeks ago and were named MVP. How do you think that your individual play has been this spring and summer?
Jarvis Johnson: It started off a little slow. I picked it back up. I am ready to go for July. Ready for July. Ready for Peach Jam.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on schools you are hearing from right now?
Jarvis Johnson: Baylor, Wichita State and UNLV. Those are the three off the top of my head.
Gopher Hole: How many offers are you up to right now?
Jarvis Johnson: To be honest, I don't even know.
Gopher Hole: I assume that you have learned along the way that recruiting is a business. I know that Michigan State was a school that you are looking at and they recently added two transfers and maybe aren't looking at guards as much as before. Is that something you look at the different rosters and how quickly you can play at the various schools?
Jarvis Johnson: Yes. Most definitely. I want to be a freshman that plays when I go in. I don't really want to sit too much. That is one thing that I look for. "Who will be there and who will be what grade and what age."
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what schools you want to take official visits to?
Jarvis Johnson: Not really yet. Haven't really thought about it. I am kind of waiting until after July, the recruiting period to settle down. See what I get there. I'll make my decision of where I want to go from there.
Gopher Hole: Have you decided if you are going to try to sign in the fall? Have you thought that far ahead?
Jarvis Johnson: I thought about it. I think late September.
Gopher Hole: What is going to be the main factors that makes you pick School A over School B or C?
Jarvis Johnson: I would say whatever fits my game the most. Where I am most comfortable with. Where there is a great education and as long as my family can come down and watch me. I always say, that is a big thing for me. That is probably what is important at this point.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, your family could watch you play here. What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Jarvis Johnson: I actually recently took an unofficial here two weeks ago, so great things. Great talks all the time with Ben and Coach P. There is good things at the "U."
Gopher Hole: There are often one or two Gophers coaches watching you at different events, but at the team camp, all the coaches were watching you. Is that something you notice out of the corner of your eye watching you or do you try not to notice or is something that is hard not to?
Jarvis Johnson: I have gotten so used to it that I just blank it out, so I just go out there and play. I don't really worry too much about the coaches.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe play for the home state school?
Jarvis Johnson: That would be fun. I know that the fans would be crazy. My family wouldn't have to drive too far. I've always kind of liked to play for the hometown state. Everybody knows you and you are well-known around the State of Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch the much during the N.I.T. run?
Jarvis Johnson: I didn't really. We had our own tournament, but I got to catch a little bit of the games, though.
Gopher Hole: You would be one of the very few to possibly win four straight state titles. What would that mean to you?
Jarvis Johnson: Oh, man, that would be history for me. We always talk about it in the locker room. Some schools have won three. That would be one of the greatest things that ever happened in Minnesota, winning four state championships. I know Henry did it. Lawrence McKenzie, a U of M grad. We talked a little bit about it. We used to work out together, so he talked about winning the fourth one. It was a crazy, unbelievable feeling.