BATON ROUGE — Former LSU point guard Temeka Johnson returned to Baton Rouge this weekend following a successful overseas season. On Tuesday, Johnson addressed the current LSU women’s basketball team, which reached NCAA Tournament play for the 11th straight season last month.
Though out of the country, Johnson was able to watch the Lady Tigers’ postseason through the Internet and she expressed her gratitude to the squad for continuing the program’s legacy of consecutive postseason appearances.
“It was a great feeling seeing what the team accomplished,” the 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year said. “For them to come together and do what they did even when people counted them out speaks volumes to each and every one of the players and coaches. As a former Lady Tiger, it makes you proud to see them continue the legacy.”
Johnson just finished playing for Bnot Hasharon in the Israeli DI League where she led the league in assists. She was a member of two Final Four teams while at LSU, and said what the team accomplished this year might have been more significant.
“Their task of getting to postseason was so much harder considering where they were and all the new faces,” Johnson said. “They go on a win streak toward the end of the season and nearly beat Louisville, who reaches the championship game. We had a lot of height when I played with Sylvia (Fowles) and a lot of experience with our veteran players. Their accomplishment might have been better than ours.”
Johnson will begin her fifth WNBA season this June and her first with the Phoenix Mercury. She was traded last month from the Los Angeles Sparks and averaged 8.0 points and 3.5 assists for the Sparks, who reached the conference finals last season.
“It’s going to be another chapter and a fresh start,” Johnson said of the transition. “I am looking forward to playing in Phoenix and to training camp next month.”
Johnson has played an active role in the community with her Heaven Opens People’s Eyes (H.O.P.E.) Foundation. Her foundation adopted Magnolia Woods Elementary School in East Baton Rouge last October.
Johnson ended her career in 2005 as the only player in school history to collect at least 1,000 points, 500 assists and 500 rebounds. The 2005 Lieberman Award winner and a USBWA All-American, she finished with a school-record 945 career assists.