Over the years, the Greenville Men’s Basketball team has been filled with players who are exciting and worth watching. Johari Dix is one of those players that have helped build this program into what it is. He is a flashy 5’ 8″ senior guard from Chicago, IL. He has had the opportunity to play basketball from an early age as he played for his elementary school and also AAU club teams. Dix graduated from Thornton Fractional North High School in Calumet City, IL. Recently, Dix discussed some things about his four years here at Greenville University.
Source: Darrin Stewart
As we all know, good things must come to an end; Dix expressed how he felt knowing his time at GU will be over shortly. “I am very happy for achieving my degree from GU, but knowing that this is my grand finale, the end of playing for this great program makes me sad.” He goes on to talk about how he loves playing the game of basketball and how successful he has been here. “I have a bond with my teammates (my brothers), past and present, the coaching staff and the entire GU body. I have been embraced and treated so well these past four years and I am going to miss the uniform, the team, the coaching staff and my GU family at large.”
Some players don’t get the early trust from coaches, while others do, and Dix was one of those players. Dix had this to say about the opportunity Coach Barber gave him as an incoming freshman, “Words cannot begin to express my gratitude to Coach Barber for believing in me. I have told the story many times about my past challenges with my size and coaches not wanted to invest in me for my talents. I can truly say that Coach Barber took a chance on a skinny boy from Chicago, not knowing if I would be a good player or fit into the GU program and from his faith in me, he helped to turn me into a well-rounded man and boosted my confidence in myself.” He expresses full confidence in the fact that Coach Barber is not only a coach, but a great man who prides himself in teaching these young me that it is not about basketball, but it is about what they do after they pass the uniform over to the next player. Johari is so thankful that God allowed him to play for such a great man.
Media by: Darrin Stewart
As we all know the road to success comes with bumps and bruises. Dix shared some of his most difficult experiences during college. He says, “To be very honest, the most difficult thing for me was being organized and stop procrastinating. I like to move when I want to move and that caused a few challenges for me, but I knew that I had to stay on top of my grades and classes, so I had to push myself to stay motivated.” Like some college students, he can be quite slow-moving at times, but he understood that his parents sacrificed a lot for him to finish college, so he had to grind hard.
Dix had a word of advice for future and current athletes in the men’s basketball program. He states, “Continue to bond with each other, always look out for each other, continue to work hard every day and leave it all on the court. Also, listen to the coaches because they have their best interest in mind and stay humble. Are we our brother’s keeper? Yes, we are!” After graduation, Dix plans to work in his field of Criminal Justice with hopes to make a difference in young lives.
Source: Darrin G. Stewart
Media by: Brittany Lopez
