BORDEN, Ind. – Indiana redshirt senior Xavier Johnson spoke to the media for the primary time for the reason that season ended on Wednesday evening.
Johnson was at Huber’s Vineyard for a Hoosiers For Good NIL occasion and addressed his damage, receiving a medical hardship waiver, subsequent season’s group, the position he hopes to absorb his sixth season and rather more.
You possibly can watch the complete availability with Johnson right here, however an entire transcript is offered beneath:
On deciding to close issues down final season and the waiver course of:
“It’s been an extended course of actually, however I needed to see all of it by. Speaking to my coach and my household, the best choice was to return again to highschool only for the good thing about my well being. I’d say I believed I used to be gonna come again in February, late February however I feel it was finest for the group simply to maintain competing with out me. And I’d simply be there to assist.”
On Indiana’s group subsequent season and the way it will look totally different:
“My ideas, I imply, I haven’t seen all of ’em but in particular person, however, I’d say from my watch, I feel we now have a reasonably, a reasonably distinctive, distinctive group. We’ll be extra athletic than final yr, final yr’s group. It’s exhausting to, exhausting to compete with Trayce’s athletic means, however I feel Kel’el (Ware) is up there as a result of he’s seven foot and he can really bounce out of the fitness center as properly and he can unfold the ground out and shoot as properly. (Mackenzie) Mgbako, he can shoot, he can rating in any respect three ranges. I imply, I can go down a listing, however I ain’t gonna identify all of ’em, however I feel we now have some fairly stable items coming in.”
On how shut he was to taking part in final season and the ready by the waiver course of:
“I imply, I didn’t know I most likely wasn’t gonna come again till most likely the Iowa sport. I do know I got here out and warmed up (laughs). I gave the followers a bit one thing, however simply mentioned I used to be doing higher. However I imply, it was an extended course of getting my waiver as properly. As soon as I bought it, my weight was off my shoulder. Coach (Woodson) had known as me. He advised me, he requested me if I wished to switch. I used to be like, what do you imply do I wish to switch? Did I not get my waiver? And he was like, yeah, you bought your waiver, you wanna come again and play for me? I used to be like, yeah.”
On if he had any indication that he’d get the waiver all through the method:
“I actually simply needed to wait. Truthfully, I imply, there’s nothing actually to the method however ready.”
On his participation in recruiting on social media:
“Yeah. I imply I used to be most likely one of many first folks that coach really requested about gamers.”
On if Woodson requested him which guys he was curious about taking part in with:
“Yeah, he requested me who I used to be curious about and I advised him and we bought a few the blokes that I really preferred. We constructed a stable, stable group coming in for subsequent week.”
On what he appeared for in potential guys that may be an excellent match:
“Like Kel’el can run the ground, athletic, simply set screens, get off the ball and Mgbako can shoot. , Trey’s developed his three-point shot as properly. I imply, he’ll be one other combo guard to me. We bought all of the freshmen coming in as properly. I simply suppose we now have a extremely good group.”
On his well being proper now:
“I’m 100 (p.c wholesome).”
On what he desires to work on this summer time together with his sport:
“Simply being constant. I’d suppose I’ve to step my scoring means up this yr. I’d say say I’ve to attain the ball for my group when wanted as a result of I feel I must be one of many prime scorers on my group. Although I needed to play go rather a lot, too, I’ve to get my teammates concerned. That’s my finest attribute, too. So I’d simply say scoring on a constant foundation.”
On taking part in with a giant like Kel’el Ware who has a pick-and-pop facet to his sport:
“I haven’t performed anyone I’d say that’s extra constant than him at it. I’ve performed with a giant his dimension, however not a giant that may bounce and stretch the ground as properly. So, I imply, it’ll be totally different. It’d be totally different. Effectively, I really performed with Hunter (Dickinson) that was totally different then. I don’t suppose no person wanna see me and Hunter collectively (laughs).”
On Jakai Newton and Gabe Cupps and the management/mentorship position he’ll take with them:
“I imply, being a sixth-year previous man (laughs), it’s loopy to say. I’d say I must be huge bro. I’m not there to be their dad or something trigger I most likely may very well be their dad (laughs). I’d say I’m accepting it being huge bro and getting them by the freshman yr of faculty as a result of I understand how exhausting it’s being a freshman coming in. I can’t wait to see them each subsequent week. I feel Jakai is already right here. I can’t wait to see each of them.”
Filed to: Xavier Johnson
