DJ Stephens and Geron Johnson

Sure there are similarities between DJ and Michael Wilson and similarities between Geron and DRose...legit similarities...But have we seen a guy in DJ come from nowhere to being one of the best and most uniquely talented human highlight films of recent memory? The spark he gives the team is like nothing I can remember. He's also got the best timing of any player I've ever seen. When he's on the floor you can bet that he will do something that makes you simply jump out of your seat and high five people you don't know...He brings the team and the fans to another level, home or away.

Johnson's sincerity and incredibly driven attitude, toughness and intensity makes people say "damn that guy is NOT playing around," including opposing players and fans. Combine that with insane skill, body control and God given talent make him as unique of a player as I can recall here. He puts on a clinic defensively which is unheard of from such a highly skilled player on the offensive end.

I think it's rare to have a truly unique, quality player on your team but to have 2 of them combined with the other quality, high level players, like a lot of the guys we have, is just bizarre.

You just can't teach what these 2 bring to the table. You've either got IT or you don't. Both of these guys have "it."

(02-14-2013 12:35 AM)450bench Wrote:  DJ Stephens and Geron Johnson

Sure there are similarities between DJ and Michael Wilson and similarities between Geron and DRose...legit similarities...But have we seen a guy in DJ come from nowhere to being one of the best and most uniquely talented human highlight films of recent memory? The spark he gives the team is like nothing I can remember. He's also got the best timing of any player I've ever seen. When he's on the floor you can bet that he will do something that makes you simply jump out of your seat and high five people you don't know...He brings the team and the fans to another level, home or away.

Johnson's sincerity and incredibly driven attitude, toughness and intensity makes people say "damn that guy is NOT playing around," including opposing players and fans. Combine that with insane skill, body control and God given talent make him as unique of a player as I can recall here. He puts on a clinic defensively which is unheard of from such a highly skilled player on the offensive end.

I think it's rare to have a truly unique, quality player on your team but to have 2 of them combined with the other quality, high level players, like a lot of the guys we have, is just bizarre.

You just can't teach what these 2 bring to the table. You've either got IT or you don't. Both of these guys have "it."

Without the emergence of DJ and arrival of Geron, This team would not be that good....Took a lot of pressure off Joe and AT....Now with everything starting to come together, I'm starting to get excited about a run in March. Surely the seeding will take care of itself.

Could not agree more. Next years team may be better, who knows. But watching DJ is worth the ticket price alone. You said it all. Man alive.


There is lots to appreciate about G. Johnson. More than anything, his on court toughness and confidence is legit.

I don't think we have seen that swagger here since the final four in 08. I remember a video clip of the teams before the final four games in 08. It showed each team walking together. When it showed the Memphis team, CDR was in the middle driibbling the ball. I still think of that video clip and get chills. No matter what happened in that final game, the swagger of that team was not hype. It was for real. That is the same feeling I get watching Geron Johnson. I have a feeling our team is getting that same swagger that you can't fake.

Geron is the difference-making player that the Tigers never had under the Pastner era going into the NCAA tournament that can truly help win some games. Will Barton was a good player but not on the same level with the kind of skills and intangibles that Geron brings to the table

(02-14-2013 12:59 AM)BigTigerMike Wrote:  Geron is the difference-making player that the Tigers never had under the Pastner era going into the NCAA tournament that can truly help win some games. Will Barton was a good player but not on the same level with the kind of skills and intangibles that Geron brings to the table

Dead-nuts on...

This is why I voted DJ as MVP early on. Regardless of what we do now, if DJ had not carried us emotionally through the early part of the season nothing we do now would matter.

I think Wolo is scared of Geron. Their interviews are always the shortest.

(02-14-2013 09:11 AM)Brother Bluto Wrote:  I think Wolo is scared of Geron. Their interviews are always the shortest.

I don't blame Wolo....Geron has the meanest/scariest face. Intimidation is putting it mildly.

Great post 450 and so true.

Geron plays with an intensity and fire that is very contagious for his teammates and must be very frustrating for his opponents.

DJ is simply amazing. In a way, he's like DeAngelo. You have to come to every game while he's here, because magic is possible at any moment. Last year, when he wasn't able to play as much due to his asthma and injuries, one of the guys i sit with brought a neighbor who had never been to a game before. When DJ came into the game, my buddy leaned over to our guest and said something like, "watch this guy, he will do something to amaze you within the next 90 seconds".

Geron makes some Rose like offensive plays. However, he reminds me more of Antonio Anderson. The boy has some 'dawg' in him. Haven't seen that attitude since the number Anderson put on Robert Vaden. Anderson got so much in Vaden's head that I don't think Robert wanted to come out of the locker room.

Sykes had 9 turnovers last night. Most of those can be attributed to Geron.




#manhandled

(02-14-2013 10:49 AM)Brother Bluto Wrote:  Sykes had 9 turnovers last night. Most of those can be attributed to Geron.




#manhandled

I distinctly remember after one defensive trip (I think Geron forced a turnover on Sykes) where they were walking back down the court and Geron was talking in his ear the whole way. You could tell that Sykes wanted no part of Geron. He was definitely in his head in the second half!

Geron's emergence has been a godsend for Chris Crawford.

Geron is a better defender than DRose was. His all around play and intensity is taking this team to a higher level.

DJ playing very well overall, and Geron's addition has worked, especially the last few games.

And...Joe's emergence as the most consistent best player in the team if not the league is huge.

Chris emerging from a shooting slump- as Geron emerged...and overall solid play. Same attitudes existed late last year..winning 7 in a row, nearly all over good teams and easily, before one (very important) game with a bad outing left a sour image of a team that was better than people remember.

Marshall- should be geeked...need all to play well. Go Rebounders.

(02-14-2013 12:35 AM)450bench Wrote:  DJ Stephens and Geron Johnson

Sure there are similarities between DJ and Michael Wilson and similarities between Geron and DRose...legit similarities...But have we seen a guy in DJ come from nowhere to being one of the best and most uniquely talented human highlight films of recent memory? The spark he gives the team is like nothing I can remember. He's also got the best timing of any player I've ever seen. When he's on the floor you can bet that he will do something that makes you simply jump out of your seat and high five people you don't know...He brings the team and the fans to another level, home or away.

Johnson's sincerity and incredibly driven attitude, toughness and intensity makes people say "damn that guy is NOT playing around," including opposing players and fans. Combine that with insane skill, body control and God given talent make him as unique of a player as I can recall here. He puts on a clinic defensively which is unheard of from such a highly skilled player on the offensive end.

I think it's rare to have a truly unique, quality player on your team but to have 2 of them combined with the other quality, high level players, like a lot of the guys we have, is just bizarre.

You just can't teach what these 2 bring to the table. You've either got IT or you don't. Both of these guys have "it."

And so....THANK YOU, JOSH!!!

(02-14-2013 10:31 AM)papajohn Wrote:  Great post 450 and so true.

Geron plays with an intensity and fire that is very contagious for his teammates and must be very frustrating for his opponents.

DJ is simply amazing. In a way, he's like DeAngelo. You have to come to every game while he's here, because magic is possible at any moment. Last year, when he wasn't able to play as much due to his asthma and injuries, one of the guys i sit with brought a neighbor who had never been to a game before. When DJ came into the game, my buddy leaned over to our guest and said something like, "watch this guy, he will do something to amaze you within the next 90 seconds".

I learned I couldn't be five minutes late to a DeAngelo game or I would miss a touchdown. I remember being in line to enter after an unavoidable delay, I heard the crowd roar, and said, "Darn, I missed a D run." Ditto with DJ. I am in my seat before the lights go down. DJ, alone, is worth the admission price of about 8 tickets.

While I agree about DJ, I don't think it applies so much to Geron.
DJ is outside of the box. Geron is a prototypical elite level basketball player. He has the size/strength/skill/speed/iq/ etc. of a very good basketball player. Not that it is common, in fact, it is rare here in Memphis but along the lines of Tyreke and Rose.

The difference between Will and Geron is one of them is a TEAM player! And thats what has helped us this year. Not just one hot shot. IMOP

(02-14-2013 03:10 PM)motiger Wrote:  The difference between Will and Geron is one of them is a TEAM player! And thats what has helped us this year. Not just one hot shot. IMOP

I know that is so easy to toss out there.

I disagree completely. If we hadn't had W. Barton we would have lost a LOT more games last season. He carried our team through many games. Yes, he screwed up against St Louis, without him we wouldn't have gotten to PLAY St Louis.
In fact, if we are going to throw out opinions such as the above, I am willing to say we would have been NIT bound without Will Barton last season.