Johnny's Journey

Johnny is a native of Ottawa, Ontario and was raised in the east end of the city. His family immigrated to Canada from Eritrea over 30 years ago in pursuit of a better life for him and his three older siblings. Throughout his youth, Johnny was an active participant in various sports and activities at Lester B Pearson Catholic High School. However, it was not until his tenth-grade year that he fully committed himself to basketball. 

Johnny’s dedication to basketball paid off when his high school team won a city championship during his grade 12 year. Despite this success, he faced challenges in securing opportunities to play at the university or college level. Nevertheless, he seized the opportunity to join the University of Ottawa as a walk-on player during his first season. This experience proved to be a turning point for him as he performed exceptionally well in his first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, scoring 16 points.

From then on, he continued to work hard and earned a starting position for the next five seasons as a GeeGee. Through his dedication, he achieved many milestones, including winning championships, becoming the all-time leading scorer, and holding the record for the most 3-point shots made in school history. 

Johnny Basketball Berhanemeskel Gee-Gees

As he entered his final year at the University of Ottawa, Johnny had a clear goal in mind: to become a professional basketball player. In pursuit of this goal, he sought out representation from an agent, ultimately signing his first contract to play in Estonia. This marked the beginning of a journey that would take him away from home for extended periods of time, but also afford him the opportunity to grow and develop both on and off the court. 

During his first season in Estonia, Johnny led his team to the semifinals for the first time, earning recognition as the leading scorer in both the Estonian league and the Baltic league. Through his experiences playing in different cultures and adapting to various styles of play, Johnny went on to play in some of the premier leagues in the world, facing off against top teams such as Real Madrid and Barcelona during his fourth season in Europe.

Despite starting as a walk-on and having to earn his spot on the team, Johnny’s tenacity and work ethic have enabled him to achieve success at the highest levels of the game. He has competed in some of the best leagues globally, while representing Canadian national team and earning NBA workouts with OKC Thunder along the way. 

Throughout his journey, Johnny’s supportive family, faith, and work ethic have helped him to overcome difficult situations and achieve his dreams. Rather than being deterred by naysayers and doubters, he has persevered to reach new heights in his career. 

Statistics

2022-2023

BC BUDIVELNIK

Ukrainian SuperLeague

15.6

POINTS

3.1

REBOUNDS

3.5

ASSISTS

45.0

FG %

40.8

3PT %

2021-2022

CHORALE ROANNE

LNB Pro A

17.8

POINTS

3.0

REBOUNDS

2.5

ASSISTS

46.5

FG %

42.7

3PT %

2021-2022

OTTAWA BLACKJACKS

CEBL

19.0

POINTS

3.7

REBOUNDS

1.3

ASSISTS

54.3

FG %

72.2

3PT %

2020-2021

NANTERRE 92

LNB Pro A

8.4

POINTS

2.1

REBOUNDS

1.1

ASSISTS

52.3

FG %

52.9

3PT %

* Top 3% performer in the league.

2019-2020

BOULAZAC

LNB Pro A

14.4

POINTS

2.4

REBOUNDS

1.6

ASSISTS

58.8

FG %

51.3

3PT %

2018-2019

BASKET ZARAGOZA

Liga ACB

8.0

POINTS

1.4

REBOUNDS

1.5

ASSISTS

40.1

FG %

40.2

3PT %

2017-2018

Eisbären Bremerhaven

Germany ProA

13.9

POINTS

2.4

REBOUNDS

2.5

ASSISTS

41.6

FG %

45.7

3PT %

2016-2017

Araberri Basket Club

LEB Plata

18.9

POINTS

2.9

REBOUNDS

1.5

ASSISTS

47.5

FG %

45.7

3PT %

2015-2016

Tallinna Kalev/TLÜ

Latvian-Estonian Basketball League

20.3

POINTS

3.7

REBOUNDS

2.7

ASSISTS

50.5

FG %

40.6

3PT %

Achievements

Career FG %

47.78 %

Career 3P %

44.47%

Team Canada

Player of the week

OUA Championship game buzzer beater