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Minnesota Golden Gophers Jarvis Johnson Finds His Basketball Future at a Crossroads

By Matt Johnson

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It’s only late July, but Jarvis Johnson’s basketball career is already at a crossroads. And as his story continues to unfold, one can only hope is that someday the gifted playmaking guard will one day fulfill a dream of showcasing his talents on the highest level.

Once upon a time, Johnson was on course for a storybook rise to fame. Already a heralded recruit from local high school basketball powerhouse De La Salle in downtown Minneapolis, Johnson committed to play his college hoops for local school Minnesota in hopes of filling Williams Arena with both wins and cheers.

Unfortunately, three little letters and an implanted defibrillator have put that future in jeopardy.

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Jarvis Johnson suffers from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (or HCM), a medical condition that leads to a thickening of the heart muscle that impedes its ability to pump blood properly. In Johnson’s case, a defibrillator was inserted into his chest after the point guard’s heart stopped beating for a full 10 minutes back in 2010.

As frightening as Johnson’s medical situation appeared, scholarship offers poured in from the likes of UCLA, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. Nevertheless, Johnson decided to stay home and play for the Gophers, committing before a group of friends, family and media members on Sept. 12, 2014.

Fast forward a few months and Johnson is currently a man without a basketball home.

After a long and seemingly unending series of cardiac tests, Johnson has been informed he will not be allowed to compete for Minnesota after all, a decision made by the school’s medical staff that has left both he and his family shocked and frustrated.

As unfortunate as the situation is, it’s difficult to fault Minnesota or their medical team. The university really didn’t have any other choice. Johnson’s condition makes the school liable for his health and there are undoubtedly risks in allowing him to suit up. Realistically speaking, any lingering doubts the medical staff had could only have been answered with a “no” when it came to his playing status.

With that said, it’s a gut-wrenching situation for Johnson and his family. Too often, college athletes see their playing careers cut due to incredible acts of misbehavior ranging from poor judgment to full-blown illegal activity. In other words, college athletes are often the object of their own downfall.

None of that is true in Johnson’s case. By all accounts, he is a good student and a responsible young man. Yet Johnson’s career remains in jeopardy due to a situation he had no part in creating. For those of us who view collegiate athletics as the chance to improve one’s quality of life, his situation is incredibly difficult to accept.

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Despite it all, Johnson has steadfastly vowed to continue with his dream of playing college basketball. Whether that means he ultimately stays in Minnesota or finds a chance in another location, Johnson’s desire for a big-time collegiate career has made it all the way to ESPN, calling further attention to a wholly unfortunate circumstance.

For now, Johnson remains on scholarship at Minnesota. Gopher coach Richard Pitino has pledged to honor the scholarship until Jarvis himself decides otherwise. Could Johnson remain in Minneapolis? Any answer would be pure conjecture at this point.

Whatever unfolds for Johnson in coming months, there’s little doubt he’ll have plenty of support, not only from his family and friends, but from the Gopher basketball program. Hopefully it will add up to a college basketball career sometime in the not-too-distant future, even if it takes him beyond the Land of 10,000 Lakes’ border.

Next: Harry Giles Narrows His List to Five Schools

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