By Francesco Pioppi “I have already spoken several times with both coach Caja and the directors of Unahotels for my possible return to Reggio, in fact I also have offers from other clubs, but I really like your city and I was happy with that, and since…”. Reached by phone in the US where he is vacationing with his family, Justin Johnson (pictured with his daughter Vivian Harper) vividly winks back in the red and white jersey. no no…
by Francesco Biobi
“I have already spoken several times with both coach Caja and the directors of Unahotels for my possible return to Reggio, in fact I also have offers from other clubs, but I really like your city and have been happy with it, so….”
Reached by phone in the US where he is vacationing with his family, Justin Johnson (pictured with his daughter Vivian Harper) vividly winks back in the red and white jersey. The powerful 1996-born forward of Hazard (Kentucky) could be one of the first confirmations for the upcoming season. In the ones that just ended, ‘JJ’ gave comfortable signals of growth (averaging 7 points and 5.6 rebounds) after a rather difficult first part of the tournament, which was further complicated by a muscle injury, which kept him, between January and February, six weeks. away from the parquet.
Johnson, how are the holidays going?
“Fantastic! I’m finally spending some time with my family and I’ve missed a lot this year, but I keep working hard and I feel really good both physically and mentally, I’m in great shape.”
What parts of your game do you work on with the most dedication?
“Athletic condition is the basis of everything, so I keep fit above all else from this point of view. From a technical point of view, I do endless shooting sessions, especially in suspension: I’m really, really excited.”
Due to the pandemic you have practically been unable to establish a true direct relationship with the red and white fans, how much do you miss this aspect of your experience with Reggiana Basketball?
“A lot! It’s one of the biggest regrets last season, I think if we had the warmth of our fans, many things would have gone differently from a personal point of view and from the point of view of the team. In the end we were able to build a good harmony with coach Caja, if the general epidemic situation was under control. I think seeing our fans in the stands will be something special.”
By “our” you mean Unahotels fans, right?
“Let’s see what happens (laughs, editor) I told you, in Reggio I was very good and the dialogue with the coach and managers continues, it is clear that as a professional I must evaluate all the options proposed by my agent, but it is not a mystery to get back to you there.”
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