After being a Clemson Tiger for a year and a half, Noel Johnson, junior in public administration, decided to make a change to become an Auburn Tiger.
"I can bring leadership to the team," Johnson said.
After enrolling at Auburn in January, Johnson, a 6-foot-8-inch guard, will be ready to hit the court after the fall semester and will have one and a half years of remaining eligibility.
"As good of a basketball player as he is, he is just as good a person," said head coach Tony Barbee. "I am excited about what Noel is going to bring to the Auburn family on and off the floor."
Johnson, a three-time team MVP, began his career to success at an early age. As a student at Fayette County High School, he was looked heavily upon by a variety of media outlets and always stayed in the top 60 for prospect ratings.
In 2009, ESPNU rated Johnson the No. 30 prospect, while Scout.com and Rivals.com rated him No. 56 and No. 53, respectively.
After leading the way for his team to the Class 4A state championship his junior year, he received recognition by being named to the first-team All State his senior year in high school while averaging 21 points per game.
After signing with Clemson in 2009, Johnson quickly became a viable member of the team. During his freshman year, he played 32 games and also became the recipient of the Tiger Strength Award that highlights his dedication to strength and conditioning.
So far, Johnson said he has accomplished a lot and has had the privilege to be involved in a wide variety of opportunities in basketball.
"I've been a part of a lot of different tournaments, so all of those (have been my biggest accomplishment) up until now," Johnson said.
Basketball runs in Johnson's blood, however. As the son of former Wichita State and NBA Golden State Warrior star Lynbert "Cheese" Johnson, he has been around basketball since the day he was born, although he did not officially begin to play until he was 2 years old.
His father has been a great motivation and inspiration in his life, and he said he would like to follow in his footsteps and possibly take his skills on the court to new heights.
"I hope to make a career in basketball," Johnson said. "It is one of my dreams."
When is comes to what professional team he would like to play for in the future, Johnson has decided to remain open-minded.
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