Chico Johnson Ready to Lead USC Upstate in New Era
10/17/2024 12:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Basketball has always been at the heart of Chico Johnson's life. From shooting hoops with his dad as a kid to playing for championship teams, Johnson has been driven by his desire to win and his love for the game. After overcoming an ACL injury and navigating the transfer portal, he has found his new home at USC Upstate, ready to bring his athleticism, leadership, and winning mentality to the court this season.
"He can impact the team because he's so vocal and aware of what's going on," USC Upstate head coach Martin Richter said. "I think he'll be really good here. He's just a good college basketball player."
Johnson, a redshirt freshman from Toledo, Ohio, was a four-star recruit by ESPN and ranked the No. 9 player in Ohio for the 2023 recruiting class. From the beginning, he knew he had the potential to be different and often worked out with his dad to improve.
"My love for basketball started with my dad," Johnson said. "He's always pushed me to elevate my game. As a kid, he'd take me to the park to get some shots up, and he saw my potential."
During high school, Johnson led Central Catholic High School to back-to-back district championships in 2020-21 and 2021-22. As a standout player, he averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game during his junior season. In 2021-22, he earned First Team All-Ohio honors and was named All-District VII Division II Player of the Year.
"There was something in me that I knew could change the game at Central," Johnson said. "Whether it was communication, scoring, or defense, I didn't care as long as we won."
Known for his enthusiasm and defensive ability while being a scoring threat, Johnson signed his national letter of intent to attend Drake University in November 2022. But just when he felt like he was on top of the world, he tore his ACL.
He focused on rehabbing his knee to be ready for the Bulldogs' summer camp.
"It was tough to rehab back. I had to reestablish my leg strength," Johnson said. "When I got to Drake, I felt like I was always one step behind—not as quick or athletic as I used to be."
Johnson decided to redshirt his freshman season at Drake. While some players might not take a redshirt year seriously, Johnson used it to learn from Drake's championship environment, preparing for future success.
"I took no days off," Johnson said. "Whether we were on the road or at home, I always got in a lift, worked on the court, and kept improving."
In 2023-24, the Drake Bulldogs posted a 28-7 record and won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, earning a spot in the NCAA tournament. Though not on the court, Johnson learned what made his teammates successful.
"I watched the other freshmen and focused on what they did to make an impact," Johnson said. "Whether they were starting or coming off the bench, they made big plays in big moments. I studied that from the outside and picked up on what made them successful."
"By November, he was fast, strong, and confident," Richter said. "He had days where he was the best player on the floor at Drake, and if you're the best player on the floor at Drake, where we've been to four of the last five NCAA tournaments, you're pretty darn good."
After the season, Johnson entered the transfer portal. When he saw his former assistant coach get the head coaching job at USC Upstate, he didn't hesitate to follow.
"The trust around Coach Martin and knowing he'd put my best foot forward was big for me," Johnson said.
Since arriving at Upstate, Johnson has stood out as a leader, helping his teammates adjust to the college athlete lifestyle.
"When you're in winning programs, you see how people conduct themselves," Richter said. "His enthusiasm and ability to lead is what he saw the upperclassmen do, and he's mirrored that here. It's really neat to see."
During summer and fall training, Johnson has been key in building the hard-working, gritty culture Richter has instilled over the last five months. Richter described Johnson as a coach on the floor.
"His advantage is that he knows what I want, and his leadership is natural," Richter said. "He has a cheat code because he knows me so well, and he helps the players understand what needs to be done."
As USC Upstate's season approaches, Johnson has been focused on the little details and building chemistry with his team. Every day, he aims for perfection to ensure the team is ready to compete for a championship.
"Whatever I have to do to win, I'll do it," Johnson said. "Offense, defense—whatever it takes, I'll do it because I want to win."
USC Upstate will begin its 2024-25 season with an exhibition game against North Greenville on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the G.B. Hodge Center, and officially open the season on the road against NC State in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. (EST).
