At this time three years ago, Lasani Johnson was preparing for his first year of college basketball with Southland Conference power Stephen F. Austin. A highly rated recruit out of Bishop Dunne (Dallas, Texas), Lasani got some press early because of his father. NBA legend Larry Johnson. Soon enough, the country saw the athletic, high scoring guard evolve into a player ready to create his own legacy. But his scoring is just a part of his game.
"My motor is definitely by far the best part of my game. Growing up, I was always pretty much a high scorer but I never had much skill. It was just my motor and my amount of energy that my body naturally possesses that always made me able to make plays."
Johnson saw limited minutes in Nacogdoches as a true freshman, but what an experience and time it was to be a Lumberjack. The team that upset West Virginia, and was mere seconds away from advancing to the Sweet 16.
"I definitely learned a lot during my time at SFA playing for Coach Underwood. It was just an overall big learning experience in a lot of areas. I definitely do not think that I would be the competitor and person that I am today from a mental standpoint in certain ways if it wasn’t for that year."
With Brad Underwood soon on his way to Oklahoma State, Lasani saw a new path for himself and his career.
"I already had the idea of going the JUCO route in the back of my mind toward the end of my freshman year during that Spring. I would have visions of me being a great JUCO player my sophomore year."
And he did exactly that. During the 2016-2017 season, Lasani attended Bossier Parrish Community College, where he averaged 21.1 PPG and shot 40.1% (126-of-314) from beyond the arc. Which led him to receive the Louisiana JUCO Player of the Year award.
"My year at Bossier Parish improved my game from a mental standpoint more than a physical in my opinion," Johnson said. "Though I’ve always been a super confident athlete and competitor, during my time at Bossier Parish was when I really took the whole idea of asserting myself. Which my coaches Taylor Wade and head coach Chris Lovell told me to do during one of my 1st days there during an open gym session. And imposing my will which my teammate Jerry Perry told me to do in the car one day."
After his year at Bossier Parrish, Lasani transferred to Grambling State and sat out the 2017-2018 season. A season for the Tigers that was one of the greatest stories around the country. Just a few years ago, the program was struggling for wins. In fact they lost 46 straight D1 games from 2012-2014, and went 8-103 again D1 competition in a 4-year span.
In steps new head coach Donte’ Jackson. Quickly turning Grambling around into not only a competitive program, but a winning program. Early the Tigers won at Georgia Tech from the ACC, and then knocked off Southeastern Louisiana, the eventual Southland Conference co-champs. GSU then went on a tremendous conference winning streak and won the SWAC regular season title. Unfortunately, due to APR sanctions, the Tigers were ineligible from participating in post-season play.
This year is a new story however, Grambling is eligible for the post season and on a mission to get to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers return 4 of their top 6 scorers, including leading scorer Ivy Smith Jr.
Lasani on his teammates:"We have so many talented players on this team that I honestly don’t even know where to start. That is also something that I’m trying to get everyone to see globally. The players that I have by my side. We have two of the best players in the country that nobody knows about alongside me. Dallas Polk-Hillard is a transfer from South Dakota State. He was a JUCO All-American at Cochise Community College and averaged around 20 PPG. Also Travon Bunch, a 7 footer from Neosha Community College, was a top player in the country coming out of high school and is a potential professional player. Not to mention our point guard Ivy Smith is coming back. He was 1st Team all-conference, averaged 17 PPG and led the conference in steals. I think we have one of the best mid-major backcourts in the country. People are going to be shocked that Coach Jackson and our coaches were able to assemble a team like this in the SWAC."
The Tigers have an extremely difficult non-conference schedule (@Wyoming, @Loyola-Chicago, @LSU, @UCF, @Wisconsin, SLU at home), but with the returning cast plus the list of the new/eligible players...Grambling is my pick to win the SWAC. And I expect Lasani to be a big part their success.
"My goal for this season is to help my team in any way that they need in any moment. I want to help my team in as many ways as I possibly can to help our team win as many games as possible," says Johnson. "I believe my biggest motivation factor is to open the public’s eyes to what GSU basketball is becoming."
Grambling Assistant Coach Demetrius Moore on Lasani: "To me, Lasani means a lot to our program. He plays really hard and he is a knock down shooter."
The Tigers seem to be poised for a run at a second consecutive SWAC title, and more importantly...that lucrative auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. #SWACHoops #whynotgrambling
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