Started from the jungle now he’s here.

The NBL tips off in November. First overall NBL draft pick Alex Johnson can’t wait.

Monday night in Markham, Ontario, 25 year old 5’10 PG Alex Johnson from the Lawrence Heights community in Toronto made history as the first ever Canadian to be selected first overall in the Canadian National Basketball League.

Lawrence Heights community in Toronto is often referred to as the “Jungle” by residents in reference to the fact that cab drivers and visitors got lost in the unfamiliar maze of courts which is unusual for Toronto. Then thanks in part to media sensationalism, the greater communities  began to associate the moniker to the levels of crime within the maze of affordable housing projects.

Now parts of Canadian basketball history will forever have “jungle” roots. Home of Alex Johnson. 24 hours after a monumental Monday, that saw the Ottawa Sky Hawks make a historic move selecting Alex Johnson a Canadian from Toronto as the first overall pick in the 2013 NBL Canada draft. Hoops Hype Canada (HHC) caught up with Johnson via telephone from his hotel room in Ottawa, Ontario.  Check out the journey of Basketball Canada’s newest King Of The Jungle.

HHC: First and foremost Congratulations! Your HS career you attended Vaughn Road Academy @ the corner of Vaughn and Oakwood. Any fond memories or influential coaches through high school?

AJ: When I got there, I looked at the record books and we had not won a championship since like 1940’s. We won a gold in the “AA” championships as a sophomore and in my junior year we won silver at the “AAA” championships. As for coaches Wilton Hall.

HHC: From Vaughan Road you decided to attend college at Cal State Bakersfield.
How did that opportunity transpire?

AJ: Grassroots was a major part of my development. Other coaches like my high school, John Clara and Wayne Dawkins. Coach Ro Russell though was the main guy who took a chance on me. When a lot of coaches saw me they thought my height was an issue for them but coach Ro would tell me I could come to his program and really excel. Just from the start going on all the AAU trips and with my last year of high school I was like “Coach Ro, I want to pursue playing in the States.” He was always like don’t worry that he would find me a school. He was able to do get me my first Division 1 offer.

HHC: Cal State Bakersfield. What made the Road Runners the lucky ones to obtain your services? I mean, you were pretty highly touted coming out of Toronto. Borderline All-American and word was you turned down other offers from Georgia etc…

AJ: I had offers from Georgia, Cal St,  Northridge, Utah St, I just really enjoyed the Cal St Bakersfield coaching staff. Went I went on my visit to Cal State the coaching staff was just so genuine I didn’t even feel the need to go on other visits. That’s why I signed there.

HHC: You graduated early @ Cal State. Played 2 seasons, then before your junior year you experienced a injury (Torn ACL) forcing you to red shirt before a third season at Cal State Bakersfield. How did you make the jump to NC State after your Junior year and why?

AJ: I graduated early and after my Junior year of averaging like 14 points…I kind of approached Coach Ro again and said “I want to play on T.V. like Corey and Tristan” He came up with NC State. He got me both of my schools. That’s why I’ve been part of the Grassroots family forever and feel obligated to give back. Just this summer I coached the U13 AAU team.

HHC: N.C. State but any other programs you contemplated?

AJ: What is crazy is how Coach Ro pretty much markets you, I told him if he wasn’t a coach he could be a good agent. Just how he approaches the situation. When I talked to him about what schools he had for me Coach was like we got Florida St, we got Utah St, NC State, Butler I was like man those are some pretty good schools.

HHC What sealed the NC State deal?

AJ: Visit was really nice, just from the start, the fan base was just wild. Hitting me up before I even landed. Was pretty impressed with that. Facilities were very nice and they had some of the best coaching staff’s like Bobby Lutz and Mark Gottfried.

HHC: Did the NC State experience go as expected or even better?

AJ: Was kind of a different role. Cal State they needed me to score. Whereas when I was at NC state I was more of a distributor just because we had guys like Lorenzo Brown, Scott Wood, CJ Leslie and Richard Howell. 4 potential NBA guys on the team so it was more of a distributing role over scoring.

HHC: From NC state you landed your first professional gig in Romania. Played on Denham Browns team and against guys like Canadian International Jevon Sheppard. How was that Romanian experience?

AJ: It was a pretty good league just as far as talent wise. You have guys like Jevon Sheppard and Denham Brown some of the best scorers in Toronto just for them to come over and play in the league was interesting and competitive.

HHC: In Romania after your season ended at what point does Canada’s NBL get on your radar?

AJ: It was kind of spur of the moment. I actually just went to the NBL combine draft to show some support to a friend Oliver Prince. I had my shoes in his car. It’s hard to just sit there and watch basketball. So I was itching to play basketball to put on a jersey and ended up playing. Played the whole day and then in the All Star game.

HHC: Sunday night before the draft, did you think you had a shot at first overall?

AJ: Definitely. Just how my phone was ringing from all the teams just showing they’re interest. Even Ottawa, coming to  “Jungle” and coming to see me and actually talk to me face to face. I told a lot of my friends it was like playing NBA 2k the my player mode.

HHC: What was your initial reaction to hearing the first pick and who joined you at the draft table?

AJ: It was kind of a surprise to me, I was told I could go anywhere from 1 to 5. Then to hear my name being called the feeling was pretty good. With me was my Mom and my cousin.

HHC: Canada basketball have you ever represented them growing up? Is it a goal of yours in the future?

AJ: Team Ontario was the biggest thing I was a part of growing up. Definitely I would love to be part of Canada basketball. It has some of its best talent right now on the team.

HHC: How has the Canadian Basketball family treated you since the historic draft day?

AJ: Just to go on my twitter and see all the mentions I’ve gotten and all face book postings everybody congratulating me I’m so appreciative and blessed to be drafted number one and just have all this love coming back. My phone has been dead these past couple days.

HHC: Any contract details or on court predictions for the upcoming Ottawa Sky Hawks season?

AJ: I’m still trying to take it all in I haven’t looked at the schedule yet. Still unsure and still going to talk about details as fact as contracts go here in the next few days with my agent. I know Ottawa’s a great city and the fans are very supportive. I’m trying to bring leadership and be a people person and hopefully be one of the fan favourites. Whatever the team needs from me then that’s what I’ll bring.

HHC: You’ve strived standing only 5 foot 10 inches. Any words of encouragement to the small guys growing up who get overlooked because of size?

Johnson has a knack for knocking them down from down town.

AJ: If you can play this game you be given the opportunity to show people what you can do. You see guys like Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas and how successful they’ve been. Their size is overlooked because of how good they can play. So definitely opportunity exists no matter the size.

There you have it. Q & A with the pioneer Canadian of the NBL himself Alex Johnson. Look forward to watching Alex lead the club from our nation’s capital to contention this winter. Click here for a review of Monday nights draft in Markham, Ontario.