Computers Was Always A Hobby But Basketball Is My Passion. The incredible story of Alex Johnson.

When a human being is born, guidance is one of the first things they look for besides chewing on a toy or finding their mommy. However, as we get older, we tend to look past other peoples guidance and end up finding our own. Whether it's picking out an outfit or referring to a student adviser to find out what career you want to be in, humans often look towards someone else’s guidance rather than their own. Although this isn’t a bad thing, it is something rather interesting because we as humans are given the flexibility of choice. However, what if that aspect of choice was stripped from you? What if someone was forced to live in an environment with tough crowds and choices? Alex Johnson of the Niagara River Lions experienced hardship throughout his life where choice suddenly disappeared.

Born in Toronto, Ontario near York Dale Mall, Johnson grew up in a rough neighbourhood. Whether it was gangs or drugs, Johnson witnessed things that he wished he never saw. For a child to be around an environment of gangs and drugs can be problematic due to how recessive kids are. Children tend to absorb any amount of information like a sponge due to the aspect of innocence. In Johnson's case, he was a young kid living in a harsh environment while not knowing why it was so terrible. The only way Johnson or anyone else can understand what's right or wrong is if they receive the proper guidance from someone is more knowledgeable. Fortunately for Johnson, his mother managed to lure him away from the negativities that was present in his area. Unlike other parents in his neighbourhood, Johnson's mother was keen and focused on giving her kids a focused life. Instead of letting her kids go out of control, she gave Johnson and the rest of his siblings a strict schedule to follow, which included physical activity. Johnson's mother was so keen on providing her kids with physical activity that she led Johnson to the sport of basketball.

One take away out of Johnson's life that stood out to me was control. While other kids in his neighbourhood were on the path of doing harmful things towards themselves and potentially others, Johnson managed to avoid all of it. Despite all the disturbing things that happened around Alex’s life, he managed to take his life seriously. Alex realized that to become the best, hard work and dedication were vital while also following guidance from both his mother and others. His ambition and commitment to life started at a young age. Whether it was playing basketball or studying for a test, he always wanted to be the best person in his field. His competitiveness originated at a young age due to mostly athletics. To be the best, he had to work twice as hard as everyone else. Instead of feeling discouraged or defeated, Johnson kept on grinding until he would feel satisfied. The same thing would happen in his education as he was slowly into the sciences and had a goal to become a computer engineer. Johnson would dedicate time in the day to work on computers and play with the parts to be ahead of the competition. Even though Johnson’s primary priority was to become a computer engineer, that goal suddenly disappeared when someone decided to open their mouth.

Competitiveness and focus were two main concepts that Johnson attained reasonably quickly at a young age. Rather than wasting time on video games, Johnson wanted to achieve greatness at everything he was doing. As a young kid in York Dale, Ontario, people would usually see Johnson open up a textbook to further his dream or, be glued to the gym to work on his craft. Despite the evident love Alex had for the game, he set his eyes on computer engineering due to how much he enjoyed working on computers. Growing up, Johnson was a very hands-on person as he found joy fixing and creating new things or inventions. Basketball for Alex was viewed more as a sport that granted him freedom and piece that opened both physical and mental opportunities he uses til this day. However, one day at school, his perspective completely changed as a friend of his decided to open his mouth.

During practice, one of Alex Johnson’s “friends” approached him to inform him about what he believes is not possible. He told Johnson that he should stop playing basketball because he will never accomplish professionalism in that field. For Johnson, this was a personal attack due to how passionate he was about dominating everything he does. For him, this was offensive and disrespectful considering how much time Johnson would spend in the gym working on his craft. To me, this is plain disrespectful due to the amount of passion Johnson has towards the game. Even though computer engineering was initially his primary target, he suddenly shifted his career choice and was tired of being slandered about what he can or can not do.

Eventually, Johnson took his “friends” suggestion into consideration. As a small kid in York Dale, all odds were against him. Instead of sulking in a corner and feeling insecure about the rude comment his “friend” gave, he used that as a motion of motivation. He was so keen on proving everyone wrong that he wrote down the comment his “friend” gave him and stuck it next to his bed to remind him always to prove the haters wrong. This act by Johnson was incredible as it shows the type of character he has. Even though computer engineering was his primary goal at this time, his competitiveness took over him. This incredible attribute that Johnson has is exceptional and rare to see these days considering how sensitive the world has become. Rather than sitting in a corner and believing the negativities and slanders that Alex experienced, he used that as fuel to motivate him to take the next step to greatness.

Looking back at this situation, it’s safe to say that Johnson’s “friend” actually made a right gesture in a way. Without the slanders and the hate, Johnson would have most likely been a computer engineer rather than a professional athlete. To me, that would have been a shame to see considering how Johnson turned out to be one of the best players in all of Canada. This story in Johnson’s life spreads a message that human beings in our society need to be careful about what they say to one another. Not everyone would have reacted the same way as Johnson, which makes him so unique. Luckily for him, he was gifted with an attribute that most of us would kill to have, which is competitiveness and not caring about other people’s opinions. However, this was just the beginning for Johnson’s ambition to take his basketball skill to the next level.

Proving people wrong was something that Johnson always preached about. He believed that instead of sulking in a corner when hardships arise, you should have a level of hope and dedication to shift your mindset. This was a firm belief that Johnson carried throughout his whole life, yet he never thought he could make it to the big leagues due to his size. The reality was, Johnson was an undersized guard during his highschool days with barely any muscle to show. Looking at Johnson now, it’s hard to believe that a player like him would be viewed as “undersized” considering how he has managed to turn himself into one of the toughest players the CEBL has to offer. However, Alex managed to keep his head high despite all the slanders and worked hard every day in the gym until he was satisfied. As months turned into years, Alex Johnson was no longer the small, scrawny kid in York Dale. Instead, he managed to transform himself into becoming one of the toughest point guards this country has ever seen. This was just the beginning of a new, unexpected chapter in Johnson's life.

The message that I capture about this point in Alex Johnson’s life is persistence and dedication. Instead of giving up, Johnson rose up to the adversities, struck them in the eye and said, “ I can do anything as long as I am alive.” This message is something that everyone should follow and why a person like Johnson is more than just a basketball player.

Once high school ended, Johnson’s life took a turn that he never would have expected. Growing up, Johnson always knew that basketball was something he loved, however, was not a realistic destination for a career. One motivation that Alex had throughout his life was to return the favour and provide for his family. Computer engineering was a career choice that he enjoyed and would have provided him with an excellent wage to support himself and his family. However, his family and especially his mother motivated him to do what he really loves which was basketball. Even though Johnson had the grades and the right mental tools to be in a program like computer engineering, he decided to embark on a new path to play basketball at the College level.

When entering the world of college basketball, it can be tough to find the right school that fits your needs the best. For Alex Johnson, he spent the first four years in a school called Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners. During his time with the Roadrunners, he had a fairly successful run with the team. In the four year span, he averaged 9.2 points, 3 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. Considering that this was the first time that Johnson played basketball out of high school, those stats are not the worst out there. However, in his junior year, he managed to become a starter and averaged an impressive 13 points, 2 assists and 3 rebounds while shooting 37% from the field. His performance was good enough to catch the eyes of NC State where he played one year coming off the bench. Johnson would hope to have a breakout year for NC State as he felt that he left the Roadrunners on a positive note.

Alex Johnson as a member of the Roadrunners.

Unfortunately for Johnson, NC State was not what he expected. Even though he was grateful for the opportunity, he expected to have a bigger role. Out of the 39 games, he only started in two of them while averaging 4 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. The underwhelming role that Johnson had was confusing considering how well he played with the Roadrunners. Fortunately for Johnson, he managed to attract attention in Hong Kong making this his debut as a professional basketball player. Remember that “friend” that told Johnson he will never be a professional athlete? I’m quite sure that person must be in shock considering how successful Johnson has become in the basketball world. Stories like this exemplifies the fact that, no matter what anyone says, your opinion is the only one that matters.

Alex Johnson going up against NBA Guard Seth Curry!

When interviewing Johnson on the phone about his Hong Kong experience, he mentions that it was the greatest experience in his entire basketball career. Whether it was witnessing brand new cultures or watching how people greet and meet each other, Johnson was thrown with unique ways of living life. He realized how diverse the world truly is which made him feel humbled. Johnson further states that the relationships he had in Hong Kong are some he has til this day which is something incredible. This new experience was also the first opportunity Johnson had on becoming an official professional basketball player. However, this was just the beginning for Johnson’s professional career as he found a new opportunity with the NBL.

From 2013 to early 2016, Johnson bounced around in the NBL. Every year during the span, Johnson was on a different team. This was due to how the league was structured at the time considering how players had non-guaranteed multi-year deals. In the first year of his NBL experience he played for the Mississauga Power as mostly a starter. He managed to average 9 points, a career high of 6 assists, and 3 rebounds while shooting 37% from the three-point line. As a player, Johnson showed improvement as he was looking like a legit threat in the NBL.

Alex Johnson as a member of the Mississauga Power.

In the following year, Alex Johnson joined the St. John Riptide where he would take a step back and average 8 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds in just 22 minutes of play. Even though those numbers are impressive for only 22 minutes a game, it still seems odd that Johnson was not unable to find a stable position since his college days. However, during the middle of the season, the St. John Riptide trade Johnson back to the Mississauga Power where he would continue to produce similar numbers. In the next two seasons of Johnson’s basketball career, he managed to play with the Windsor Express and the Halifax Hurricanes where he would have underwhelming performances. During this time in Johnson’s life, it was fairly stressful considering how he was unable to settle down with a team until one day he received a call of a lifetime.

Alex Johnson as a member of the Halifax Express.

During the year 2016-17, Alex Johnson received an opportunity that changed his entire life. While chilling with some family and friends, Johnson receives an invitation to work-out with the Grand Rapids Drive which was the NBA g-league for the Detroit Pistons. This was the biggest stage Johnson ever played at and embraced the opportunity as if it was a new born child. Fortunately enough, Johnson managed to make the team and play 10 games off the bench. However, shortly after those games, he was cut from the Grand Rapids Drive and decided to go back to the NBL.

The fact that Alex Johnson was apart of a g-league team is something that other professional athletes would wish to have in their resume. Instead of feeling discouraged, Johnson kept on moving forward and took every opportunity he had as a tool to improve his game.

Alex Johnson as a member of the Grand Rapids Drive.

Between 2017 and early 2019, Johnson continued his path to greatness in the basketball world. Instead of slowing down, he kept up on going and continued the fire that sparked in him since day one. Even though it must have been tough for him to accept that he got dropped from the g-league, he still managed to stay persistent and actually return to the NBL with a better statistical and overall performance. In the three year stretch, he managed to average 10 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds with incredible shooting efficiency. He also played under three different teams in the NBL which were, the Orangeville A’s, St.John Edge, and London Lightning where he paired with MVP of the CEBL league, Xavier Moon. This three-year span was the peak for Johnson as he managed to receive more touches than he ever did in his career. His NBL performances eventually led him to embark a new path in his basketball career to join the CEBL.

Alex Johnson as a member of the St.John Edge.

In the summer of 2019, the Niagara River Lions selected Alex Johnson to become their sixth man. Even though Johnson was clearly the best point guard on his team, he had a role similar to Lou Williams and played 20 plus minutes a game. Despite his statistics being relatively similar to his time with the London Lightning, his leadership skills went up. If Niagara needed a guard to rely on, Johnson would always be the primary candidate. Johnson and the Lions managed to steamroll themselves over every team considering how dominant they were. With Johnson being one of the few players to lead the charge to success, nothing was going to stop this team until the playoffs hit. The first-seeded team managed to lose in the semi-finals with just a one point deficit. Although this was a tough defeat for Johnson and the Lions to accept, they still managed to move forward.

Alex Johnson as a member of the Niagara River Lions.

Overall, Johnson has had an incredible basketball career but has had an even more impressive life story. The fact that a “friend” of his told him he couldn’t be a professional athlete was dumb enough considering how Johnson has turned out. The fact that his mother was his motivation to play this game at this level is a dream come true for Johnson as he can finally give back to his mother that sacrificed so much for him. If it wasn’t for these two factors, Johnson would most likely have never been a professional athlete and instead would have pursued computer engineering. That would have been a shame because Johnson would have never known the type of talent and impact he had.

The lesson that can be taken about Johnson's life is, no matter what evil force lures you down, it's your choice to either except it or work towards it. That to me is what captivates the incredible story of Alex Johnson.