Where Are They Now? - Chad Johnson (Men's Basketball)
4/14/2022 7:30:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball
Chad Johnson wasn't recruited to play basketball at Lipscomb University, but he took his chances and walked on, eventually earning a scholarship and playing for years under two different coaching regimes. He spent some time this week talking with Lipscombsports.com about his experiences on and off the basketball court.
Name and sport played:
Chad Johnson, Men's basketball.
What years did you compete for Lipscomb, and who coached you?
I played from 2011 to 2015. I played for Scott Sanderson for two years and Casey Alexander for two more years.
What teammates were most memorable, and why?
All of them were memorable. The ones I was closest to would be Malcolm and Mark Smith, J.C. Hampton, J.J. Butler, Charles Smith, Khion Sankey, Talbott Denny and Josh Williams. We are pretty close. We still keep in touch everyday on a group chat.
We called ourselves "The Granny White Gang." I might have been the one that made it up. That was our nickname and it stuck, and we ran with it. It is pretty cool to see everybody now in different phases of life. Some of them are dads. Some of them are married. A couple of them are still playing basketball. We were together during the coaching change. Those guys were all impactful on my life.
The seniors, when I was a freshman, were really kind to me and took me under their wings. I stress to my players today that the relationships you develop as a player should be lasting ones.
What degrees have you earned, from where, and when?
I have a B.A. in Journalism and New Media from Lipscomb in 2015.
I have a Master's in business management at Lipscomb in 2016.
Why did you attend Lipscomb?
That is a good question. As I have gotten older and had some time to think about it, I think it had a lot to do with God leading me in that direction. I was a walk-on and ended up earning a scholarship. The only connection I had to the university was my cousin Tenielle Buchanan ran track. I was on campus for her graduation.
I intended to go elsewhere, but I woke up one summer morning and told my mother I was going to go to Lipscomb. It ended up being one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I was able to continue to play basketball and earn my degrees, but it also allowed me to grow up. Sometimes you wonder why you cross paths with people and that is something I have cherished.
What is your favorite athletic memory at Lipscomb?
I have a couple that jump out at me. The first is the "Battle of the Boulevard." We only won one out eight during my time at Lipscomb. But playing in that rivalry, especially when we were in the same conference, and running out of the tunnel and seeing everybody in the stands was pretty cool.
My senior year we played the University of Texas. That was pretty cool to me since I was from Oklahoma. I grew up sort of a Texas fan. Playing in that arena was exciting.
Who influenced your athletic career at Lipscomb?
I would have to give a lot of credit and acknowledgement to a couple of coaches. Obviously, I played for two staffs there and they both were great in their respective ways.
Coach Shaun Senters is somebody I have always respected just by the way he treated me. He really looked out for me. He didn't treat me any different even though I was a walk-on. I am in close contact with him now because I am a coach, and he has a lot of contacts. I have become closer with him through the years. I can honestly say he is one of the reasons I am a coach.
Coach Scott Sanderson gave me the opportunity to walk on. He was a genuine person. He would always ask about my family. It was bigger than basketball for him. It was pretty cool he gave me the opportunity to live out one of my dreams which was to play college basketball. I give him a lot of credit.
What do you remember about Lipscomb campus life during your time here?
For me now, looking back on it, and being at a similar school like Oklahoma Christian, the people respected you as a person. Sometimes it is a cliché, but I truly believe people at Lipscomb wanted you to do well. It is not very common nowadays.
For the most part people wanted to help you and help you be successful. Overall, everyone had a vested interest in everyone there.
What is are the most valuable lessons you learned in your time at Lipscomb?
One of the things I learned was to be super appreciative. Being grateful to God is something I am trying to master in my personal and professional lives. That is very important to me.
Another is to not be afraid to be a leader and stand out.
Who were your favorite professors and why?
All of my professors looked out for me and tried to make sure I had a good experience, but I have three who stand out.
Alan Griggs was an interesting guy. He has this rep that he is a hard nosed teacher, but the thing I remember the most about Mr. Griggs is he forced me to get out of my shell and do certain things in broadcasting and communications. I was pretty quiet and pretty unassuming. I was one of the few minorities in the department. He really made me feel good about myself. I felt like because of him I was actually pretty good at what I was doing.
Another one would be Dr. Mark McGee. I liked the fact he was pretty consistent across the board. He was very serious about his craft, but he sometimes didn't take it too seriously. He taught classes very practically. If something was pertinent, we would talk about it, and he would make it relevant to the course. He held me accountable. He understood students had things going on and he never really gave me a hard time if I needed some extra time to complete an assignment.
Tenielle Buchanan, my first cousin, taught my Intro to Communications class. It was pretty awkward being taught by one of the people closest to me in my life. At the time I was undecided what I was going to do, but she knew I had a pretty good ear for public speaking. She forced me to try harder. She didn't let me cut any corners. That was a pivotal point in my college career. I started out as an engineering major and decided quickly that wasn't for me. Her class opened the door for me majoring in communications. She helped a lot of students on the campus during her time there.
Where did you grow up?
Edmond, Oklahoma.
Where do you live, and what do you do now?
Edmond, Oklahoma. I have finished my first year at Oklahoma Christian as an assistant coach.
Tell us about your family:
I am single.
FAST FINISH:
If you wish to include contact Chad, he can be reached at the email provided below:
Name and sport played:
Chad Johnson, Men's basketball.
What years did you compete for Lipscomb, and who coached you?
I played from 2011 to 2015. I played for Scott Sanderson for two years and Casey Alexander for two more years.
What teammates were most memorable, and why?
All of them were memorable. The ones I was closest to would be Malcolm and Mark Smith, J.C. Hampton, J.J. Butler, Charles Smith, Khion Sankey, Talbott Denny and Josh Williams. We are pretty close. We still keep in touch everyday on a group chat.
We called ourselves "The Granny White Gang." I might have been the one that made it up. That was our nickname and it stuck, and we ran with it. It is pretty cool to see everybody now in different phases of life. Some of them are dads. Some of them are married. A couple of them are still playing basketball. We were together during the coaching change. Those guys were all impactful on my life.
The seniors, when I was a freshman, were really kind to me and took me under their wings. I stress to my players today that the relationships you develop as a player should be lasting ones.
What degrees have you earned, from where, and when?
I have a B.A. in Journalism and New Media from Lipscomb in 2015.
I have a Master's in business management at Lipscomb in 2016.
Why did you attend Lipscomb?
That is a good question. As I have gotten older and had some time to think about it, I think it had a lot to do with God leading me in that direction. I was a walk-on and ended up earning a scholarship. The only connection I had to the university was my cousin Tenielle Buchanan ran track. I was on campus for her graduation.
I intended to go elsewhere, but I woke up one summer morning and told my mother I was going to go to Lipscomb. It ended up being one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I was able to continue to play basketball and earn my degrees, but it also allowed me to grow up. Sometimes you wonder why you cross paths with people and that is something I have cherished.
What is your favorite athletic memory at Lipscomb?
I have a couple that jump out at me. The first is the "Battle of the Boulevard." We only won one out eight during my time at Lipscomb. But playing in that rivalry, especially when we were in the same conference, and running out of the tunnel and seeing everybody in the stands was pretty cool.
My senior year we played the University of Texas. That was pretty cool to me since I was from Oklahoma. I grew up sort of a Texas fan. Playing in that arena was exciting.
Who influenced your athletic career at Lipscomb?
I would have to give a lot of credit and acknowledgement to a couple of coaches. Obviously, I played for two staffs there and they both were great in their respective ways.
Coach Shaun Senters is somebody I have always respected just by the way he treated me. He really looked out for me. He didn't treat me any different even though I was a walk-on. I am in close contact with him now because I am a coach, and he has a lot of contacts. I have become closer with him through the years. I can honestly say he is one of the reasons I am a coach.
Coach Scott Sanderson gave me the opportunity to walk on. He was a genuine person. He would always ask about my family. It was bigger than basketball for him. It was pretty cool he gave me the opportunity to live out one of my dreams which was to play college basketball. I give him a lot of credit.
What do you remember about Lipscomb campus life during your time here?
For me now, looking back on it, and being at a similar school like Oklahoma Christian, the people respected you as a person. Sometimes it is a cliché, but I truly believe people at Lipscomb wanted you to do well. It is not very common nowadays.
For the most part people wanted to help you and help you be successful. Overall, everyone had a vested interest in everyone there.
What is are the most valuable lessons you learned in your time at Lipscomb?
One of the things I learned was to be super appreciative. Being grateful to God is something I am trying to master in my personal and professional lives. That is very important to me.
Another is to not be afraid to be a leader and stand out.
Who were your favorite professors and why?
All of my professors looked out for me and tried to make sure I had a good experience, but I have three who stand out.
Alan Griggs was an interesting guy. He has this rep that he is a hard nosed teacher, but the thing I remember the most about Mr. Griggs is he forced me to get out of my shell and do certain things in broadcasting and communications. I was pretty quiet and pretty unassuming. I was one of the few minorities in the department. He really made me feel good about myself. I felt like because of him I was actually pretty good at what I was doing.
Another one would be Dr. Mark McGee. I liked the fact he was pretty consistent across the board. He was very serious about his craft, but he sometimes didn't take it too seriously. He taught classes very practically. If something was pertinent, we would talk about it, and he would make it relevant to the course. He held me accountable. He understood students had things going on and he never really gave me a hard time if I needed some extra time to complete an assignment.
Tenielle Buchanan, my first cousin, taught my Intro to Communications class. It was pretty awkward being taught by one of the people closest to me in my life. At the time I was undecided what I was going to do, but she knew I had a pretty good ear for public speaking. She forced me to try harder. She didn't let me cut any corners. That was a pivotal point in my college career. I started out as an engineering major and decided quickly that wasn't for me. Her class opened the door for me majoring in communications. She helped a lot of students on the campus during her time there.
Where did you grow up?
Edmond, Oklahoma.
Where do you live, and what do you do now?
Edmond, Oklahoma. I have finished my first year at Oklahoma Christian as an assistant coach.
Tell us about your family:
I am single.
FAST FINISH:
- Favorite food: Pepperoni pizza
- Favorite TV show or movie: Law and Order: SVU
- Favorite Bible scripture: Philippians 4: 11-13
- Favorite sports team: Oklahoma Christian Eagles
- Person I most admire: My parents, Cynthia and C.J. Johnson
- Person I'd most like to meet: Jesus
- Rather ride or drive? Drive
- Pick one – salad or dessert: Dessert
- Dream vacation spot: Santorini, Greece
- Early morning or late-night person? Early morning
If you wish to include contact Chad, he can be reached at the email provided below:
- chad.johnson@oc.edu
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