Meechie Johnson: I 'can finally be myself again' at South Carolina

Meechie Johnson jogged out of the tunnel at halftime of South Carolina’s exhibition against Mars Hill, sporting something that might not have been prevalent much the last few years: a smile. 

As he waited in the halftime layup line, he exchanged a few words with athletics director Ray Tanner, who was sitting courtside. The two laughed before it was Johnson’s time to take the ball and attack the rim. 

He would, then jog back and find someone else to chat and joke with courtside, fully embracing what’s been a career reset for him. 

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“I’ve been asking for this my whole life and it’s finally here,” he said. “Just take one game at a time, enjoy the moment and have fun.” 

To understand Johnson is to understand the rollercoaster of a journey he’s been on the last three years. 

A widely heralded recruit out of Ohio, Johnson was a high-school phenom before a knee injury sidelined him for almost 18 months. There was no basketball to be played, no dunks to rattle the rim and no end in sight for someone who, as he said, was playing the best basketball of his life. 

Johnson then opted to enroll midyear at Ohio State, staying home to play for the hometown school. But it was tough to jump in midstream and have a consistent impact, especially coming off that knee injury.

He finished playing in 17 games, averaging 1.2 points in 5.8 minutes per game. As a sophomore, he was playing well before a facial injury forced him to wear a mask for long stretches as a sophomore. 

Before getting injured he was averaging 6.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game on 35.5 percent shooting (35 from three) in 20.3 minutes. After the injury? Just 3 points, 1.5 rebounds and an assist while his shooting numbers took a massive dip: 25.9 percent from the field, 29.5 from three.

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“You had the injury, join college and things weren’t going the way I thought they would. You’re not playing your game, not feeling like yourself, you’re wearing a facemask and it’s going down. You’re dealing with so much as a player,” he said. “You enter the portal and find a situation like this, I can finally be myself again and finally, get back to this.” 

He committed to South Carolina over the offseason with the chance to play for Lamont Paris and be an anchor at point guard, something he dreamed of doing when he enrolled at Ohio State. 

“Really the confidence coach Paris instilled in me since day one of who I can be as a player and as a teammate then the winning we can do here played a big role, man,” Johnson said. “I just trust him with his word and it’s the best decision I ever made. God led me here and I’m able to be a Gamecock.”

And it’s been so far, so good for Johnson, who’s impressed the staff in the preseason this year. 

“There are going to be some growing pains with him. But his ability to see the floor and pass the ball is unique. In tough situations, he can bail himself out with an incredible pass,” assistant Tanner Bronson said. “I think there are very few people who can do that. Not only can he get it to the right spot but get it to where a guy can make a play, make a shot or make a drive or shot fake. That is very, very unique.”

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Johnson’s first real test comes Tuesday night when the Gamecocks open their season against South Carolina State at home. 

For Johnson, it’s just one of over 30 he’ll play this season. But he’s ready to show the world what he couldn’t do early in his career. 

“Y’all are going to see that I have unlimited range to shoot. Coach Paris has instilled a lot of confidence in me to be who I am as a player,” Johnson said. “He’s allowed me to grow in so many areas through mistakes. It’s been great. I can’t wait for the season. People are going to see a different player in me and the person I am on this team. It’s great. It’s a great situation.” 

South Carolina (0-0) vs. South Carolina State (0-0)

When: Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.

Where: Colonial Life Arena (18,000)

KenPom prediction: South Carolina 81-56 (Gamecocks with 99 percent chance to win)

TV: SEC Network (Roy Philpott, Mark Wise)

Radio: 107.5 FM (Derek Scott, Casey Manning)

Radio, cont.: Sirius 138 or 190/SXM App 961

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