Tar Heels Overseas: Brice Johnson, 'They Really Stopped Sports...'
Being overseas is tough, add in a global pandemic, it's a whole new ball game.
After a short hiatus from the NBA, nursing an injury, Brice Johnson geared up for his comeback. Without immediate interest from the NBA, Johnson used going overseas as a warm-up to competitive basketball and also proving that he still has the chops to make it on a team back home. One thing Johnson didn't plan on encountering his first year was something that would stop any true baller in their tracks, the suspension of basketball.
No one could've predicted anything like we're seeing, and maybe America was blinded to it all but this? Eight-week quarantine, every live event possible suspended for months, and the NCAA turning down an opportunity to make money? Ok, this is serious. Johnson knew that once the NBA released a statement, the world would soon follow. He received a phone call from his team manager stating the suspension of his season; following, his phone began to ring from back home, making sure he was safe.
QL: How are you experiencing everything that's going on? Watching from across the world?
BJ: Honestly. Everything that's going on is pretty wild! I've never seen anything like this before, and I don't know how to feel about if we're being real! just watching and hearing everything on social media and the news has really surprised me because who would've thought that this would literally almost stop the world from turning.
QL: Being away from home, what communication have you had with your family concerning safety measures?
BJ: Being away from home during all of this hasn't really changed any communications. I still talk to my peoples like it's a typical day. The only difference is the one message that says, "make sure you wash your hands and don't touch your face," but I've always done that anyway, so that hasn't changed.
QL: What were your initial thoughts when sports stopped?
BJ: My initial thought when sports stopped was, "Wow, they're really going to make guys play with no crowd? What's the point of that?!" And as days went on it turned into a "Dang they really stopping everything... What am I going to watch on tv now?!" But I understand the importance of public health and making sure we're taking the necessary precautions to not only preserve the integrity of our game but getting home to our families
QL: How are you? What's life been like for you since everything has stopped?
BJ: And I'm great. Just grinding as usual! And life hasn't changed other than we aren't allowed to practice. So I sleep, cook, play video games and relax and wait until we can do something.
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page.
Also be sure to follow us on Twitter:
Twitter - @UNConMaven and Quierra Luck at @Quierra_Luck
