One of last year's starters and the second-highest scoring player for the Orlando Miracle, guard Adrienne Johnson was looking forward to another memorable year on the court. After all, 2000 saw Johnson averaging 13.6 points per game, shooting 89.5 percent at the free throw line, and placing second in voting for the WNBA's Most Improved Player award. But just two weeks ago, a torn Achilles' tendon during preseason practice put this season's dreams on hold, as the injury will keep her sidelined for the entire season.

Not deterred, the ever goal-oriented and optimistic Johnson, a former Ohio State Buckeye, is making plans to occupy herself in the coming months. In this interview, she talks about how she intends to spend her time during her recuperation and shares her non-basketball aspirations, her opinions on the importance of the sixth man, and her advice for players having problems with teammates.

GBall: When you first joined the Cleveland Rockers in 1997, you were signed as a developmental player. What is a developmental player?
Johnson: Basically I was just a practice player. I only participated in practices, and did not play in the games or travel.

Did that put pressure on you to prove your abilities and work your way up through the organization?
Yes.

In what ways did you develop during that period?
We had a session called training camp where all the players that were invited to train were all in one session working out together for about three weeks. And once I was able to get my feet wet, and was able to size myself up against the competition, I felt more assured that I could play at this level and I just started to step up my play.

During the 1997-98 offseason, you played in Italy. What was that like?
It was very interesting. I was in Parma Italy, which is in the northern part of the country. And I played the second half of the season and the tournament.

Was it tough coming in mid-season?
Yeah. It was difficult. For one thing, that was my first time playing overseas. Secondly, it was a very good team. And there's pressure when you go overseas and you're an American. They want to win, and they expect to play you a lot of minutes. And at the time, though I was playing professionally, I wasn't used to playing a lot of minutes. So that was an adjustment. I was looked upon to be a scorer, and that was another pressure. The expectations are high [when you're a U.S. basketball athlete abroad], and if you don't produce results, they'll find a way to get rid of you.

But on the other hand, you read about foreign countries in school, and to actually be able to live in one for an extended amount of time was great. It was really neat to learn someone else's culture, to see certain places. But the language barrier was challenging. It made it difficult for me to communicate or build relationships with people.

During you're junior year at Ohio State you won your school's Sixth Man Award. That's a role that some players aren't interested in because it doesn't seem as glamorous as being one of the starting five. Is there value to that role?
Absolutely. Basketball is a team sport. And just like any other team sport, every player is of value, depending on how you look at it. A lot of people may think that if they're not in the starting five, then they're somehow of less value to that particular team. But that's not the case. If you're a team player, you must take pride in whatever role you're given.

When I received that award, I was a starter. But I got hurt and missed half the season. When I came back later that season, my role became to come off the bench and provide the team with energy. That was a personal challenge for me, and I took pride in that. And because I took that attitude, I reaped the reward of being the Sixth Man of the Year for my team.

I read that you credit Arkansas Coach Gary Blair with teaching you the importance of playing with emotion. What does that mean to you and how important is it to success?
I met him through USA Basketball and he did teach me to play with a little emotion -- to show my feelings. And gradually throughout my career I've learned to do that. But I continue to work on it.

When you play basketball, anything can happen on the court. And I think when good things happen, if you want to shout or cheer and show emotion, that kind of gets you going and people respond to that. It can actually provide you with momentum in a game. But if you experience a loss, or you're not playing well, you can't allow that emotion to carry you so low to the point that you can't get yourself back up.

So emotion can carry you far if you give it a chance -- whether it's the experience of breaking up with a boyfriend or whatever. But you have to be careful because there's a fine line. Emotion can take you up and it can also bring you down. And to this day I'm learning how to use my emotion to benefit me, not to hinder me.

The changes that took place between your 1999 and 2000 seasons with the Miracle were dramatic. You went from averaging 10 minutes a game to becoming a starter and one of the team's top scorers. What fostered that change in your role?
Before that point, I never really had a true foundation outside of basketball. Basketball was the priority. If basketball was going well, life was peachy. If basketball was not going well, everything else didn't seem to go well either.

And I was always concerned about things. When you are a professional basketball player, every year you're competing for a job. So there's continuous stress. I wasn't playing well. I was relocated. There were a lot of changes going on, and I didn't quite know how to handle those changes.

But I came across this person in a gym. He was a Christian, but he was also a basketball player and he was striving to become a professional basketball player himself. And he was able to relate to me on a level no one else could. Although I'm passionate about basketball, I saw that he experienced so much peace within himself through living his life through Christ, and I wanted that because I didn't feel peace in my life at that time. So that was the year that I rededicated my life to Christ, and positive changes just took place from there.

So regaining some perspective on your life apart from basketball helped you rededicate your efforts on the court?
Right.

What first got you interested in basketball as a youngster?
Well, I was born and raised in Louisville, Ky., which is a huge basketball state. So you're exposed to it as soon as you're born in my family. My dad watched the games a lot. My cousins and friends in the neighborhood always played a lot. So I was exposed to it early and it stuck with me. My first competitive experience was when I played on a girls' team in the sixth grade.

If you weren't playing professionally right now, what career would you be in?
I would be doing motivational speaking. I've gone through many experiences as an athlete, a woman, and an African-American and the journey has been so sweet. It's funny because when I go and talk with kids, they want to do what I do. And to know that I can provide them with a bit of information here and there, and share the things that have helped me come along, is gratifying. Basketball has taught me so many lessons, and I've been able to transfer those lessons from the court to the real world. So I'd like to use my basketball experiences to show youngsters how those lessons can help them reach a certain level of success. If I can do it, they can do it.

Because I had a good year, I'm pretty popular here now. So I'm just trying to take advantage of the situation I'm in now. That way, I benefit and others benefit. Athletes sometimes find it difficult to move on from our sport because we never find anything we're as passionate about as our sport. And to know that this is something that I enjoy -- I enjoy talking, I enjoy making people feel good, I enjoy being a role model -- it fits me.

I know fitness and conditioning are important to you. In the offseason, what are some of your favorite non-basketball ways to stay in shape?
Lately I tried some Tae-Bo. It's funny because I see people kicking their legs up, jumping up and down, and I think as an athlete, "I compete, I should be able to do anything." But these things are not so easy. Aerobics are not easy. It's a different kind of conditioning.

But I really enjoy the Tae Bo. And I would really like to try kick-boxing. I've tried a little yoga, and that's hard. You really have to be open and give it a chance. These things are challenging to me as an athlete, but it's refreshing because it's different than what I do for my livelihood.

Although you're extremely competitive, after losing last season's conference semi-final game, were you able to appreciate and congratulate yourself on having made it so far, or is there so much pressure at that level that you can't help but focus on the loss?
I think after the season I was able to enjoy it a little bit, but at the same time, I'm always trying to set goals for the next year. Although I do reward myself. "Hey, good job, I've reached these goals." But I give myself very little time to dwell on it. You can't really enjoy success too much -- "Yeah I did this and I did that" -- because life goes on and you have to then set new goals for yourself. Because I want success to be a continuous thing in my life. I don't want to do something one time and feel like "Okay, now I can relax." No way. If you believe that, you're fooling yourself. But it's the same with failure. When something doesn't go well, you have to focus on something else, reset your goals, and move forward.

Last weekend, the Toronto Raptors' Vince Carter received a lot of criticism for attending his college graduation in North Carolina on the same afternoon as Game 7 of his team's Eastern Conference semi-final series in Philadelphia. Although he made it back in plenty of time for the game, Toronto lost, and some have blamed Carter's travel for a below-par performance and a missed last-second shot that could have won his team the game. What are your thoughts on the whole situation?
I'm surprised there is so much criticism. I didn't see what the big deal was. In my opinion, Vince had his priorities in order.

It seems we kind of contradict ourselves in sports. Everyone talks about, "Oh education comes first," but then they say, "Oh, but this is the biggest game of his career." Vince is a good player, and we'll find him in many other playoffs to come. But how many times do you get to walk at your graduation? That is a very memorable moment, and I was very proud of him for being able to ignore what the media and others were saying and attend graduation for himself. I think a lot of people lost perspective, but I was really proud of him. I really thought he made a point. There are a lot of kids who watch us, and he said, "This is a deciding game of whether we go to the conference finals or not. But hey, I'm going to my college graduation because I've earned it. I've been waiting on this moment." Who's to say which one is more important than the other? I would have done the same thing.

This hasn't become an issue in the WNBA yet, but what are your thoughts on the increasing trend of male high school players going to the NBA and bypassing college?
Personally, I feel like after you graduate from high school you have options. You can work or you can go to college. But you're pretty much considered an adult. So I don't feel there should be an age restriction on whether they can go to the NBA or not. I think if you have what it takes, you've been blessed with the talent, you have the guidance from people who can guide you in the right direction, I don't see anything wrong with it.

The thing is, I don't condone never going to college. But I think college is always going to be there, and everyone's circumstance is different. But why do we go to school? To get an education and to get a better job. And those kids who don't play ball and don't want to go to college hear, "You need to be working. You need to get a job." Well playing in the NBA is a job, and a very good paying job with benefits. A lot of the players who leave early come from the slums, and here's an opportunity for them to make a lot of money, provide for their families. But what the league could probably do is set more support services to help them through the transition. I don't see a huge problem if the guidance is there and they have the right people surrounding them, but unfortunately many of those young players don't have that necessary guidance.

Tell me about the visualization and relaxation techniques you use before games.
They may sound real simple, but it's a little more difficult to do. In fact it's taken me years to get it down. Basically I visualize myself performing how I want to perform in a game. And that may take 10 minutes or longer. I've done it so much that no matter where I am, I can do it over and over again. And I can apply it to a lot of different things, not just basketball.

For example, I visualize myself in the environment, feeling the crowd around me and the texture of the ball in my hand, the smell of the varnish on the floor, how I want to react, how I'm going to be quick. And I visualize how I want to play, how I want to be shooting, how I want to be playing defense. And it's something you have to picture over and over and over. You see yourself hit free throws. But it takes a while to master the process. In fact, for the longest time, when I would do the visualization exercises, I would see myself miss shots. And I would think, "Why in my own mind would I want to miss shots?" But for some people [visualizing positive things] is an issue. It's something I've been doing since my senior year in college, and it's helped my performance.

Do these exercises give you an advantage over opponents once the starting buzzer sounds, because in your mind you've been playing the game for 10 minutes, whereas they're coming in cold?
Right. It does. And it relaxes me, because I know what I'm going to do. I've seen it. I've seen myself doing it, so when it happens, I'm really not surprised. For instance, I'm not surprised I had a good season last year. I'm very happy that I did, and I didn't know exactly how good it was going to be, but I visualized it. And I've visualized myself being an All-Star. I saw it for this year, 2001. But I'm hurt, so I can't play this season. So I'm visualizing it for next season! And that's what you have to do.

How did you injure yourself this preseason?
We were doing some conditioning and running some sprints, and as I was running, I planted my foot to run in the other direction and my Achilles tendon ruptured. I heard a loud pop, but it didn't really hurt at the time. I actually looked around because I thought everyone else must have heard it -- I thought it was that loud. And I looked behind me, thinking someone had kicked me in the back of the leg, but no one was close enough. When I looked down, my foot was just kind of hanging there, and I knew right then and there that I was probably out for the season.

Now that you're out for the season, are there any projects you've been putting off that this year you'll now be able to pursue?
Actually, I'm working on speeches for motivational speaking. I did one on perseverance, and I'm using the story of this injury -- writing down the emotions I'm experiencing and what I feel I have to do to get myself back in position to play at the elite level and do well.

I'm also looking to do a college tour. I've sent press kits to different conferences across the country. Some might want me to talk to their women's studies students, or some might want me to speak with their athletes -- going and doing some sessions or seminars on what they need to focus on off the court. What they need to be doing to set themselves up for life after college. How to decide what they want to do. And how to build a foundation so when they're finished with school, everything is in order and they can just make that transition. And that goes for those who want to play professionally and those who don't. But they need to talk and think about those things. Everyone thinks they're going to play professionally, and they're not. So they need to start thinking about what they need to do.

So I've been working on speeches on those topics. And I'm going to be busy with my rehab probably twice a day. And I'll also be going to games and practices. I want to try to be involved with the team -- maybe watching film, putting together scouting reports. As long as I have stuff to keep me busy and keep time moving, I'll be fine.

I notice there are a number of foreign players on your team. Does that create a very diverse environment?
It does add a little diversity, a little flavor to the team. We have a player from Australia and Brazil [and Great Britain and the Czech Republic], and to have someone speak another language, and to interact and learn a little bit about them -- working alongside people from these different cultures exposes you to a different world. And I think that's a cool thing. They can play the game, they're able to help the team, and we're able to learn from each other.

Not every athlete is lucky enough to be friends with everyone on their team. In fact, some teammates outright dislike one another. What's your advice to those young athletes who are in that situation?
Personally, I've never really had that experience, but I've seen people go through it. I don't think you have to be the best of friends to accomplish certain goals as a team. I think as long as you have the same focus, and that there's respect there, players can still work together. But you definitely have to have the respect. You don't want to be degrading fellow players, because they are a part of the team, and when you do that, you become a cancer in the team.

But players should try to work together as much as possible. A lot of times I think the reason people don't get along is because they don't spend time together. If they spent a little time together, and made the effort to get to know each other, they wouldn't have that tension. Having the team do some recreational activities together is one way to bring players together. And when they're out to eat, players can arrange to sit at the table of the person they don't like -- to put them on the spot, to strike up conversation. It can be done. And if people take the time to get to know each other, they can totally eliminate unnecessary tension. And then they're not utilizing unnecessary energy on something silly.

Do you have any advice for young players who want to make basketball a career?
It is a commitment. Preparation is the key to anything you want to do, regardless of what level you want to play at. When you're prepared, that's saying, "Okay, I gave it the best shot that I could." That's saying you've done everything in your control to get yourself to the next level.

And when you think of preparation, there are three components. You have to prepare yourself mentally: you have to obtain the right attitude, the "I can do it" attitude. And you have to see yourself, visualize yourself doing the things you want to do. Second is the physical preparation. You have to be devoted to doing the things that it takes to get you to that level, whether it's in the classroom or on the court. You have to be willing to put in the work and do the things it's going to take to be able to tap into your abilities and talents. And third is emotional preparation. You must embrace the fact that you will fail at times. Life is not fair, things will happen, but how you react to that will determine how well you'll do and how far you'll go.

If you give up just because you get cut from a basketball team, if you give up because you got an F on a test, well, you can't win if you disqualify yourself from he race. So you have to keep trying, you have to reorganize your goals, you have to continue to prepare and find ways to prepare better and smarter. And you have to keep at it, because success doesn't always happen the first try or the second try. Sometimes it takes four or five tries to make things happen.

While some young athletes enjoy practicing the fun, glitzy moves and maneuvers of their game, how important are the fundamentals when preparing physically?
The fundamentals are what keeps you in the game. That has to be your foundation. Because as you get older, your athleticism tends to go down a little bit. Sometimes you can't jump as high, sometimes you can't run as fast. But as long as you know the game and you can work on the fundamentals of the game, the little things are what keeps you alive, involved, and on top of things.

And when you don't have the fundamentals, it will always show. It will eventually expose itself, and when it does, people will be watching for it. You go from high school to college, and everyone is just as good as you. Then you go from college to the professional ranks, and everyone is as good as you and better. And if you can't compete athletically, then you have to be able to compete some way. And if you don't have the fundamentals mastered, you're not giving yourself a fighting chance to succeed.

Interview conducted by Gball Assistant Editor Shelly Wilson.

Photo: Courtesy of WNBA photos.


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