Davon Smith-Johnson finds home through Kenny Anderson Showcase

CLEVELAND, Ohio– Kenny Anderson needed a second opinion. It’s the summer of 2020 and the novel coronavirus has made recruiting a challenge. So he turned to his close friend Ian Cunningham—the co-founder and coordinator of The Kenny Anderson Showcase–for any suggestions on players that might catch the eye of the 14-year NBA veteran.

That’s when Cunningham mentioned Davon Smith-Johnson—a 6-foot-6 forward from Cleveland Heights. Being a 2020 participant of The Kenny Anderson Showcase helped. Anderson recalled the impact he made during last year’s event and that’s where it all started. 

“He plays hard and is good with his teammates and coaches and that’s a big sign for me,” Anderson—the current head coach at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee—said. “Davon is just a good young man that is growing.”

Following the June 27 showcase, Anderson kept his options open. That led to early November, a few days before the high school basketball season began. He reached out to Smith-Johnson for the first time, expressing interest in the unsigned forward.

From there, a relationship started to develop, something that surprised Smith-Johnson at the time.

“It was kind of shocking because I didn’t even know they were interested,” he said when Kenny Anderson first contacted him. “It was just a good feeling to have.”

Anderson was forthright, candid when learning more about Smith-Johnson off the court. That’s when the player-coach chemistry started to take off.

“It’s a great chemistry with me and him, I’m a joker,” Anderson said. “I had to loosen him up a little bit and I think it loosened him up. 

“The big thing I looked at is how kids play through mistakes and things of that nature, how you deal with your teammates and coaches,” he added. “He has everything I was interested in as a young man coming to Fisk. I wanted to deal with how an individual really relates to the game of basketball.”

The bonding, chemistry led up to April 1; Smith-Johnson’s official campus visit. It didn’t take long for him to settle in. The more he learned about the campus and its historical significance, the easier it was to make a decision.

The next day, it became official. On the car ride back home to Cleveland, Smith-Johnson committed to Fisk University.

“When I got there I just liked the campus and everybody seemed welcoming and genuine so I thought it was the right fit for me,” he explained.

“I did something right,” Anderson chuckled. “I experienced every which way in life you can experience and I can help that young man develop as a human being first and foremost. He has to want it, has to work extremely hard and I always tell the kids to worry about the school work first and then basketball.”

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Turning into a leader

Transferring to Cleveland Heights as a junior, Davon Smith-Johnson was very reserved. He kept most things to himself. When head coach J.R. Bremer first met him, it didn’t take long for him to notice that. With time, Bremer was able to get him to open up some more. 

“When he came to me last year, you can barely get any words out of him. He’s a very smart kid and gets all your offensive and defensive schemes but he was just quiet and to himself,” Bremer said. “I told him in the game of basketball that’s not going to work, you got to be vocal, both on and off the court if you want to be a leader.”

Vocal leadership is what Bremer preached to the teenager. He wanted to see that improvement throughout his senior season. After all, he was one of seven seniors on a team that brought in a couple of transfers.

As the season started to wind down, Bremer noticed developments in more ways than before. Those improvements helped lead to his team playing its best basketball near the playoffs.

Drawing the nine seed in its district, the Tigers opened the playoffs with two blowout wins. Next up was a trip to Shaker Heights, where they would upset the Red Raiders comfortably.

That set up a district championship appearance against three-seeded Medina. The game came down to the final possession. A Keyshawn Hall jumper couldn’t fall through as time expired, ending their season with a 54-53 loss.

“He was probably my most consistent player on and off the court, being vocal and having that leadership role,” Bremer said of Smith-Johnson. “That was something I expressed to him I wanted him to work on especially is being a leader and being vocal with his teammates.

“I’m a defensive-minded coach and being able to put him against the 1-5 at any given game was definitely a compliment to his skill and a plus for any coach that can get him, Wherever we played him he was going to give everything he’s got and was going to stand out and I think he did that on the defensive end in all aspects of the game.”

Giving back through The Kenny Anderson Showcase

Next month, the third annual Kenny Anderson Showcase will take place in Twinsburg, Ohio. Year three will be the biggest event yet with more than 70 kids registered from at least eight different states.

Having one of his own players sign from the showcase was a big first step, according to Anderson. Giving student-athletes an opportunity to compete for a scholarship at the Division II, Division III or NAIA level for no cost is important. It’s something Anderson and Cunningham have a passion for. A passion that runs deep.

“The kids there are great and they play extremely hard and I think it’s a great sign to get one kid out of there,” Anderson said. “Each year I’m trying to build it where I can get my kids out [of the showcase] and it’s growing. It’s a great thing what we’re doing for the NAIA schools and the Division II schools.

“Ian is a good guy and he cares about others. He wants to do right by those young men coming to Division II and NAIA schools. It’s such a great fit for who I am as a person.”

Experience is everything

Anderson is entering his third year at Fisk University, but just his second year coaching after COVID-19 wiped away the 2020-21 season. He’s also still working with players he didn’t recruit.

It takes time bringing together the right pieces and Anderson knows that as a coach. He’s trying to help rebuild the culture at Fisk University. Through it all, he’s got high hopes and a conference championship on his mind.

“I would like to win the conference going into next year and build from there,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of work to get the right players who fit the right criteria of Kenny Anderson and if I can recruit and get the right players, I’ll be fine. I think next year is going to be our year to really showcase it and I have to just get the kids that are doing extremely well in school.”

Cunningham is with Anderson every step of the way. After watching a slew of Smith-Johnson’s games the past two years, he understands what type of player is about to step foot on campus in August.

He believes Smith-Johnson has what it takes to bring Fisk University in the direction Anderson envisions. After all, he is the first player recruited by Anderson from his own showcase.

“Four years from now playing under Kenny Anderson, who knows [where he’ll end up,]” Cunningham said. “He’s 6-foot-6, can handle the ball, can shoot, and was the best defender on Cleveland Heights. I just looked at the whole picture of Devon being that guy….Kenny is putting together something special and I wanted Devon to be a part of that.”

What’s unique about the future bulldog is that he’ll be playing under another former NBA player at the NAIA level. Both Anderson and Bremer spent time at the game’s highest level and being able to surround yourself around prominent figures like that goes a long way.

Davon knows it. Bremer knows it. Anderson knows it. It’s an opportunity that comes with life lessons.

“It helps me improve my game a lot,” Smith-Johnson said about the opportunity playing for Kenny Anderson. “I want to go where they went so they know what to do to get me there. It’s just very helpful for me to get there.” 

That mindset started his junior year at Cleveland Heights, also the first year Bremer took over as head coach of his alma mater. Bremer has been in his shoes before. He understands what it takes to succeed at all levels.

With that, he was able to earn the trust and respect of his players. That’s something Bremer took notice of and it helped pay off in the long run.

“I’ve experienced everything that they’re trying to experience and that they’re going through,” Bremer said.  “I think that plays a huge role for them to be able to listen and understand what I’m saying is that I’m not just saying something, I really know what I’m talking about and really mean what I’m saying and it can help.”

The plan for Smith-Johnson is to move onto campus Aug. 1. He’s eager to start a new journey, something he’s not taking for granted.

He’s got a whole support group behind him given the chance to play at the next level. After participating in The Kenny Anderson Showcase a year ago, Cunningham believes in this fit. He’s optimistic about what lies ahead.

“It’s amazing. This one honestly feels the most special to me just because I was the most involved with this one,” Cunningham said. “This was a special one because this kid is the exact cultural type fit for a small HBCU in a city like Nashville.”