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ULM Women’s Basketball Adds Auburn Transfer Johnson to 2023-24 Roster

ULM Women’s Basketball Adds Auburn Transfer Johnson to 2023-24 Roster

Women's Basketball Apr 25
MONROE, La. – Jakayla Johnson, a 5-foot-9 guard who earned JUCO All-America honors as a freshman at Jones College and later became a 17-game starter at Auburn last season, has signed a grant-in-aid to attend ULM and compete in women's basketball in 2023-24.
 
Johnson, who has at least two years of eligibility remaining, becomes first-year ULM head coach Missy Bilderback's second signee in the 2023 recruiting class, joining 5-9 guard Chardai Watkins who transferred from Southern Miss.
 
A native of Clinton, Mississippi, Johnson appeared in 30 games as a red-shirt sophomore at Auburn in 2022-23, including 17 starting assignments. She played 20 or more minutes in 11 contests. Johnson started 10 consecutive games at point guard at midseason and led the Tigers in assists three times. She matched her season high with nine points – all in the second half – against Arkansas while hitting 4-of-6 field-goal attempts. Johnson recorded a season-high six assists in 29 minutes at Kentucky. She contributed nine points, six rebounds and four assists while logging a season-best 33 minutes against Missouri. Johnson added eight points each against UCF and Samford.
 
She enrolled at Auburn in January 2022 after suffering a season-ending injury at Jones College in December 2021. Johnson started the first five games of 2021-22 for the Bobcats and averaged 16.8 points, 3.0 assists and 2.8 steals. She connected on 10-of-18 shots from the field and finished with a season-high 25 points at Arkansas State Mid-South to go along with six rebounds and five steals. Johnson netted 22 points (8-of-10 FG shooting) in 17 minutes against Wallace State in the season opener.
 
As a true freshman playing for Coach Bilderback at Jones College in 2020-21, Johnson was named WBCA JUCO All-American (one of 10 selected) after averaging 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while helping the Bobcats to a 20-1 overall record, including a perfect 13-0 in conference games, and the program's first-ever NJCAA No. 1 national ranking. She also earned All-MACCC First Team and NJCAA All-Region 23 honors as well as being selected to the Region 23 All-Tournament Team. Johnson scored in double figures in 16 of 20 games, including six 20-point efforts, and recorded 59 assists and 48 steals. She also shot better than 80 percent from the free-throw line, hitting 89-of-111 attempts. Johnson collected a season-high seven assists against Coahoma in the Region 23 Tournament. She produced a double-double at Southwest Mississippi, finishing with 23 points (10-of-20 FG shooting) and 10 rebounds. Johnson made 10-of-17 field-goal attempts, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, and 15-of-19 free-throw attempts en route to a career-best 39 points against Mississippi Gulf Coast.
 
"We're super excited to welcome Jakayla to ULM," Bilderback said. "She brings high-level playing experience and big-time scoring ability to our roster.
 
"We're extremely familiar with her after coaching her at Jones College and we're so thankful to be reunited. Jakayla is an unbelievable teammate, a great person with strong character and she's a winner. She is so versatile and has a dynamic skill set. Jakayla can score on all three levels, and she's committed to working beyond what is required.
 
"We're extremely grateful for the opportunity to coach Jakayla again and can't wait to get to work."
 
She netted more than 900 career points as a three-year varsity member at Clinton High School.
 
Johnson was named all-state after averaging 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.6 steals as a senior in 2019-20 while leading the Lady Arrows to a 25-5 record and a Class 6A runner-up finish. She also was selected to the Region 4-6A All-Tournament Team. Johnson shot 50 percent (180-of-358) from the floor and 81 percent (116-of-144) from the free-throw line and her season totals included 81 assists and 105 steals. Johnson reached double figures in scoring in 27 of 30 games, including 10 20-point performances. She also recorded four double-doubles: vs. Raymond (21 points and 11 rebounds), vs. Faith Academy (16/13), vs. Warren Central (19/14) and Tupelo (28/10). Johnson posted 26 points (10-of-12 FG shooting, including 2-of-2 3-pointers) and collected a season-high seven assists against Hernando. She hit 13-of-24 field-goal attempts, including 2-of-5 3s, and 9-of-11 free-throw attempts on her way to a prep-best 37 points against Vicksburg.
 
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