The Plymouth City Patriots have announced another signing ahead of the 2023/24 British Basketball League season. D'Andre Johnson will be welcomed to the club, and brings with him a combination of rebounding and outside shooting.
The 25 year old has signed his first professional contract with the Patriots, after competing in NCAA D1 for North Carolina A&T and NAIA College league for St Thomas University Bobcats. During his time at St. Thomas, Johnson managed four double doubles with points and rebounds in his senior year, and achieved an impressive 41% shooting average from three point range. Standing at 6 foot 10, Johnson occupied the center position for the majority of the season, and was an integral part of the Bobcats making the NAIA postseason tournament for the first time in their history. Johnson would score 19 points and record 11 rebounds in the game, which saw the Bobcats lose to the highly seeded Tougaloo.
Coach Paul James spoke excitedly about his newest signing, saying "He's a real prospect. It'll be his first season as a professional, and he shows a great deal of promise." Coach James has certainly looked to add players with a variety of skills, and Johnson is no exception, he continued "D'Andre is another guy that gives us options offensively, as well as spreading the floor with his three point shooting. He could cause our opponents some real problems."
Johnson himself seemed excited about his rookie season, saying "Becoming a Plymouth city patriot has many aspects to be excited for! Plymouth has some of the best fans on earth. I can’t wait to make an impact on their hearts and become a fan favourite. The crowd in the game films I have been studying never disappoints. I can’t wait to get out there and show them how hard we work and have fun competing and winning at a high level ! I can’t wait to start this journey with this club and our supporters. Let’s go!"
Pablo Cheeks