Whatever It Takes For The Team
November 18, 2022 | Women's Basketball, Joel Coleman
State’s Asianae Johnson has embraced role as a spark off the bench.
STARKVILLE – It's one of the oldest cliches in sports. There's no 'I' in the word 'team'.
Nothing can harm a squad quicker than selfishness. Nothing can disrupt a unit as quickly as a player who goes into business for individual gain over group success.
On the other side of that coin though, there are players like Mississippi State guard Asianae Johnson. A four-year starter at St. Bonaventure before transferring to MSU for her final season, Johnson has had to adjust to a reserve role for the Bulldogs.
If you think that's a challenge for her, you'd be wrong. She's embracing being someone State can turn to for a lift.
"I come off the bench and I create that spark," Johnson said on Friday night, shortly after helping MSU top Alabama State 81-46. "I'll do anything to help my team win."
Johnson scored seven points and had a team-best four assists in the win over the Hornets. It was just the latest example of her ability to come off the bench and be a huge boost.
She did it in the season opener back on November 9. Johnson scored 16 points and had six assists that day.
Johnson followed that up with seven points against North Alabama on November 11. She tallied 12 and tied for the team high with three assists against a ranked South Dakota State team last Monday.
Game after game after game, Johnson is having an impact, all because she cares so much more about the Bulldogs than she does about herself.
"It's all about sacrifice, especially if you want to be on a winning team," Johnson said. "Just playing that role coming off the bench and creating that spark, it's helping my team…I take pride in it. I embrace that role to the fullest."
Even when she's not on the floor, Johnson is a cornerstone of first-year head coach Sam Purcell's initial bunch of Bulldogs. There's no sulking. There's no daydreaming. Johnson is locked in.
"Let's just talk about Asianae and the joy she brings to the game," Purcell said. "If you're a fan in the stands, you can't help but get out of your seat [when you watch her] because she's smiling. She's jumping. She brings such a great spirit about her. I said at the beginning of the year, she's good enough to start. But that's just who she is – she's willing to be about the team and knows that when she comes in the game, she can uplift us and make us better."
Johnson's coach adores her mentality. Her teammates certainly do as well.
"She's very valuable," forward Denae Carter said of Johnson. "She's a big energy boost for us. She pushes the ball in transition. She's so fast. I don't know who can keep up with her for real. She's just great. She's such a leader, too. It's just great to have her."
There are no statistics for being a great teammate. There's no way to measure Johnson's impact fully and accurately. But the eyeball test confirms a big reason these Dawgs have won three of their first four and are making noise early in Purcell's tenure is because of Johnson's presence.
And if that wasn't enough, she's setting a shining example for younger Bulldogs or other bench players to follow.
"[The way Johnson carries herself is] a statement," Purcell said. "It sets the tone. Again, even before she comes in the game, if she doesn't check in, she's cheering. She's up off her feet. I see her Tweet our kids all the time [saying], 'Great job.' Words matter to me. She sets the tone with that, too. It's just a positive vibe that – especially with me being the kind of coach I am – I cherish. I'm forever grateful to her for letting me coach her for one year."
Johnson is thankful as well. She'll keep on showing that thanks by doing whatever Purcell and the Dawgs need her to do.
"I just love the game," Johnson said.
