NASSAU PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – In one of their first conversations after arriving on campus this summer, assistant coach Dane Fife told Xavier Johnson why he wasn’t unlocking his full potential on the court.
Johnson’s skill has never been in question. At Pittsburgh, he was named to the ACC’s all-freshman team. He became the first player in program history to surpass 750 points and 300 assists while still a sophomore. In total, he averaged 13.7 points, 4.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game throughout his three seasons with the Panthers.
It wasn’t physical ability that Fife wanted to talk about, but it was the mental side of the game.