Former UC player named new boys basketball coach at Summit Country Day
Melanie Laughman
Summit Country Day School has named one of its own - 2013 graduate Kevin Johnson Jr. - as the boys varsity basketball coach starting July 1.
During his playing days, Johnson was on the first team to win a state basketball title for the Silver Knights in 2012. After graduating, he attended the University of Cincinnati where he played as a guard for four seasons and helped his team to four straight NCAA tournament appearances.
He finished his Bearcat career in 2017 with 101 wins, tied for third all-time. Following that, he joined a development team for the Cleveland Cavaliers for one year before playing internationally for another year, according to a press release.
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As a coach, Johnson volunteered with the varsity team at Summit Country Day for one year under coach Pat Cosgrove during the 2018-19 season before being named head coach of the junior varsity team the next year. He then went to coach the JV squad at Little Miami High School for two years.
“This is really a full circle moment for me,” Johnson said in a release. “Summit is where I achieved success as a basketball player and where I got my start as a youth basketball coach. I’ve experienced a lot of personal growth in my approach to coaching, and I know that an impactful athletics program goes deeper than wins and losses. It’s also about creating a safe space for student-athletes and teaching real-life lessons about teamwork, personal responsibility and perseverance. I have to acknowledge the great coaches who mentored me, Michael Bradley, Pat Cosgrove and Ryan Fleming, and athletic director Greg Dennis for giving me this opportunity.”
Dennis said Johnson has the playing and coaching experience to command respect on the court.
"He’s exactly the leader we need to develop a successful basketball program at The Summit. We’re excited to welcome him back to the Silver Knight basketball family,” Dennis said.
Johnson replaces coach Ryan Fleming who resigned the position earlier this month. Johnson also provides color commentary on television for the Bearcats basketball team.