Johnny Djema put the defensive pressure on future Kentucky player Trent Noah at the state tournament last year.
Johnny Djema is not your typical Centre College freshman basketball player.
First, he’s a long 6-8. Second, he’s only been in the United States a little over five years and while he knew English, was not fluent at all after arriving from Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Third, he’s married and has a young son. Fourth, he’s an ordained minister.
At age 19, that’s a lot going on along with managing the academic demands at Centre.
“All I can say is that I’m blessed. God has blessed me tremendously,” said Deem, one of 10 freshmen on this year’s Centre roster.
He played high school basketball at Evangel Christian in Louisville. Last season he averaged 6.2 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game as Evangel finished 31-7, lost in the All “A” Classic state championship game, won the 6th Region and reached the state tourney semifinals before losing to Harlan County. He shot 53 percent overall from the field but only got about five shots per game.
“When I first got to Louisville, I was supposed to be a freshman but because I didn’t know the language that well I had to stay back in the eighth grade. I put in a lot of effort and did a lot of reading and studying to improve my English. I still have a long way to go but I am a lot better now,” he said.
He came to the United States after he was awarded an academic scholarship and he also knew it would give him a chance to play basketball, a sport he started playing when he was 11 years old.
“I didn’t really take basketball seriously until I was about 13 and that’s when I started practicing four or five days a week and really got a passion for it,” Djema said. “I had played soccer and I grew up wanting to be a professional soccer player. Looking back I think playing soccer helped my footwork for basketball. I also played a little volleyball in school but it was just for fun.”
His first basketball season in the U.S. was stopped by COVID. He also had two other coaches before Larry Miller took over his sophomore season.
“I had some growing pains my freshman year and wasn’t that good. When coach Miller took over, that’s when I started playing a little more and I figured out how high school basketball here was a little different pace and stuff. At first, coach Miller wanted to play fast and push the ball as hard and fast as we could. We didn’t buy in real well until my junior year and went to playing the way he wanted,” Djema said.
The Centre freshman understood his role was to rebound and block shots. He was also athletic enough that he could switch and guard multiple positions, something that should help him with the Colonels.
“Getting to play in the state tournament was a wonderful experience that I wouldn’t change for anything. The goal was to win but praise God we had a wonderful time. It was fun and really good,” Djema said.
Centre coach Greg Mason watched him play at Rupp Arena in the state tournament. He was also at a majority of Djema’s games all season.
“I’m here for academics. It’s tough and challenges me but I love that,” he said. “But I am also here because of coach Mason and (assistant) coach (Gavin) Root. I heard a lot of great things about them. They help me with more than basketball. I went to coach Mason’s office for a 2 1/2-hour conversation that didn’t even mention basketball.
Centre has had only two international basketball players even though technically Djema is not classified as an international player because he’s been in the country over five years.
Even though the Colonels have a young team, Djema believes the team will surprise many with the way it plays this year.
“If we just stay together for the next three or four years, we can do some serious damage,” he said.
Djema is learning toward a double major in business/French with a minor in international study.
“I want to go back to my home country and be able to help people. I want to learn more French and get a degree that will help me be not just local but set up to travel around the world and touch people’s lives and show the love of God. But I need to get those degrees to be able to get to certain places and do the work unless God ends up calling me in another way,” he said.
Djema became an ordained minister about 1 1/2 years ago and says he merely wants to pursue God’s will and plan.
“I encourage everybody to lean toward what God’s will and plan is for your life,” he said.
Djema says if someone needs to be baptized or married, he can do that. He also would be open to delivering a sermon if a church invited him to do so.
“I feel like God would want me to do those things and I would not turn that down,” he said.
His wife and son eventually will join him in Danville once he gets a little more settled both with academics and athletics.
“I am truly blessed in my life. I just try to do the best I can in every area. I am a man of God and I am here to show that by how hard I am studying, how hard I am playing, how good of a husband and father I am,” the Centre freshman said. “I want to show that not only to my teammates but to people on campus. I want to set the pace and say, ‘Hey guys, you know drugs and alcohol are not necessarily what you need in life. You need to get your life straight.’”
