Outwardly, Ashante Johnson shows no sign of delight after gliding gracefully downcourt, accepting a lob pass and effortlessly dropping the basketball through the hoop.
On the inside, however, Johnson, Kansas University's 6-foot-9, 215-pound senior forward, is taking great delight in completing both routine and more athletic plays during the Jayhawks' offseason pick-up games.
"I worked hard all summer. I sacrificed things to get back where I am at now," Johnson said with a hint of pride.
He believes he is 100 percent recovered from right kneecap surgery that limited him to mop-up time in 15 games last season.
"People don't really understand what you go through with a serious injury until once you have one. I know now how T.J. feels and how Lester feels," Johnson said, referring to ex-Jayhawk T.J. Pugh and senior Lester Earl who have had their share of surgeries.
"Once you get injured ... the struggle you go through every day, trying to come back the way you were before. It makes you have an overview of life. It makes you appreciate things more," Johnson added.
Johnson -- who was expected to contend for a starting spot at KU last year after averaging 23 points and 14 boards at Canada College in Redwood City, Calif. -- was injured blocking roommate Jelani Janisse's shot at last year's Late Night With Roy Williams scrimmage.
He was able to practice a couple times after getting hurt, but one day re-injured the knee.
"That was it," said Johnson, who had surgery and didn't return until second semester.
"Moody, mad, frustrated" is how the normally easy-going, soft-spoken Johnson described his demeanor all year.
"Even when I played, I was not myself," he said. "I was dragging my leg, not doing things I normally could do. I was getting my shot blocked. I was very frustrated."
He hit rehab hard from April through mid-summer, then went and tested his knee at a camp for professional and college players in Las Vegas, run by Portland assistant coach Tim Grgurich.
"My first year at Utah, coach (Rick) Majerus had me go there," said Johnson, who redshirted one year at Utah and played there in 1996-97 before transferring to Canada College. "You have two-a-days six hours a day. The morning session is fundamentals. At night, you play games."
Johnson was a Vegas camp teammate of NBA player Mike Bibby and went against the likes of pros Bryant Reeves, George Lynch, Greg Anthony, Mateen Cleeves, Felipe Lopez and Jonathan Bender.
"I did OK, fine. I was happy. I basically got out of it what I wanted. There's no lack of confidence in my knee at all," Johnson said.
Johnson credits KU's strength and conditioning coaches, trainers, teammates, family members and friends for pushing him.
"When you are in a tough bind, you find out who really cares about you," Johnson said. "There has been a lot of running, a lot of leg squats, things like that, rehabbing the knee and making it stronger."
Teammate Nick Bradford, for one, respects Johnson for his long hours of rehab.
"Ashante is coming along so well from his knee (injury). He has worked hard. People have not yet seen what he can do," Bradford said.
Johnson simply shakes his head at his run of bad luck at KU. Not many players are injured on the first day of practice in new surroundings.
"It's been a long year," he said. "You play so much in juco and things are going so good, then you transfer and things seem to hit a brick wall.
"Things can happen for a reason," he said. "I am more focused because of this. I am not concerned about playing -- I know how competitive it's going to be. This team is good. I just want to stay healthy. If I stay healthy, I think my playing (time) will take care of itself."
-- Gary Bedore's phone number is 832-7186. His e-mail address is gbedore@ljworld.com
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