Men’s Basketball: Johnson gets call to Belgium – Roberson to Portugal

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • July 25, 2010

The next stop for ex-UL basketball standout Tyren Johnson: Belgium.

Johnson has signed a one-year deal with Generali Okapi Aalstar of the Basketball League Belgium, the country’s highest level of professional basketball.

"I’m excited to just be able to play 5-on-5 in a game again with a team," said Johnson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday Saturday. "I don’t know anything about Belgium yet. I just hope they speak some English over there."

Johnson, a versatile 6-foot-8 forward, plans to train in Chicago or Las Vegas for the next few weeks before leaving for Belgium on Aug. 13.

Generali Okapi Aalstar, coming off a 16-16 campaign and fourth-place finish in the BLB, opens the 2010-11 season on Aug. 25.

Johnson, who declined an offer to play in Israel, enjoyed a breakout senior year this past season in which he was one of two players nationally to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocked shots. He was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, the LSWA All-Louisiana Player of the Year and an honorable mention Associated Press All-American.

After being passed over in June’s NBA draft, Johnson earned invites to mini-camp with the Charlotte Bobcats and Sacramento Kings in July but got cut before playing in the summer league.

Ryan Blake, assistant director of NBA scouting, is always quick to point out that undrafted players can still find a way into the NBA, so all hope is not lost for Johnson to eventually reach that level.

Look at swingman Wesley Matthews, who went unpicked out of Marquette last year before signing with the Utah Jazz and becoming a starter for a playoff team. Matthews recently agreed to a five-year deal worth $34 million with the Portland Trailblazers.

"Johnson didn’t get drafted because it was one of the deepest drafts in years," Blake said recently. "Remember a lot of good players did not get drafted."

Johnson is doing all he can to use those past disappointments to drive him for a better future.

"What happened in those two mini-camps was out of my control," Johnson said. "I can’t worry about what happened there. I’m going to use what happened there as my motivation moving ahead."

Johnson is the second former Cajun to recently land an overseas deal. Swingman Lamar Roberson, also a senior at UL last season, has said that he will play in Portugal this year.