With graduation approaching and his collegiate basketball season coming to an end, Senior, Johnny Dee, has made it tough to go unnoticed as the top guard for the USD basketball team! By surrounding himself with people that inspire him, Dee was able to achieve numerous milestones. His humble and simplistic approach to the game, along with his strong faith, are the tools that keep him grounded and persistently excited about basketball. Even if you don’t know him, chances are that you’ve heard his name around campus. We checked in with the star athlete to dig deeper and find out more about this week’s Campus Celebrity!
In early January you broke the all-time scoring record, you’ve consistently finished as the leading scorer during every season of your college career, AND you’ve had the most 3 pointers out of any active player at USD. What’s it like to leave behind such a legacy? “It’s a big blessing to see everything that’s happened. To think 4 years ago that this is where I would be is crazy. People like Chris Anderson (a fellow Senior teammate) are a huge reason why I’ve been so successful.”
What get’s you pumped up before a game? “I have a strict routine. I get to the gym 4 hours before the game, do a lot of stretching, yoga, icing, then go shoot 2 hours before the game, and listen to ‘Background‘ by Lecrae. It just reminds me that there’s a lot more to life than basketball and it’s supposed to be fun.”
Who is your biggest inspiration? “My dad! He’s a really cool dude and he’s impacted so many people. He serves people well and makes them feel like they’re wanted. That’s something I try to do too.”
You come from an extremely athletic family. Your grandpa was on the Olympic Men’s Basketball team in his day, your Dad played in the NFL for a short time with both the Colts and the Seahawks, and your Mom was a collegiate cross country runner at the University of Tulsa. How much impact has your family history had in shaping you? “Well, genetics is a big one! My Dad is 6’5” and my Grandpa is 6’8”, so unfortunately that didn’t work out for me being only 6’0”, but, I did get the passion from them. I definitely grew up in a heavily sports influenced family.”
Outside of basketball, what’s something that you do for fun? “I like going on hikes, my favorite one is called Eagle’s Peak in Palm Springs which is 6 miles long and overlooks all of the beautiful golf courses. I also love going to the beach or doing anything active like seeing different parts of San Diego or going on long drives.”
Being a star athlete who’s loved by so many people at USD, I’m sure girls are wondering about your current dating situation! Are you single? “I am single. My dating experience at USD has been good. I’ve met a lot of great and beautiful girls, one of the advantages of attending USD! Plus, the ratio’s in our favor as guys! I haven’t found a girlfriend yet but I’m definitely looking.”
You became a Phi Kappa Theta this year. How has joining the Greek community changed your experience at USD? “I’ve loved it. I definitely did not think that I was going to be a Greek guy but all of the people in the organization are super awesome. It’s been cool to see the athletes and some of the Greeks come together since I’ve noticed a separation between the 2 communities in the past.”
What are your post-graduation plans? “Right now I want to play professional basketball overseas. I really want to play in Israel and see the world.”