Morgan State women’s basketball sophomore Gabby Johnson recently chatted with PressBox about growing up with vitiligo, why she chose Morgan and more. The 5-foot-8 guard averaged 5.4 points and 1.9 assists per game for the Bears in 2022-23. Johnson is a native of Baltimore and graduate of Western High School. She won the Class 4A state championship with the Doves in 2022.
PressBox: How did you become interested in basketball?
Gabby Johnson: I became interested in basketball when I was 4. I saw it on TV. My dad was watching the Final Four. Basically I was like, “I want to play that!” Because at the time I was a ballet dancer — I did tap, so I wanted to be a dancer at first. But that’s how I came to basketball. I didn’t even know what it was. I was just like, “I want to play that!”
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
GJ: Probably my big brother, [Roland]. I always wanted to be bigger than my big brother. He beat me every time. I just beat him this year, so that’s good. … He played football. He just used to play around with me, trying to make me better.
PB: What are your favorite memories from playing at Western High School?
GJ: My favorite memory would probably be winning the state championship just because it was emotional. In ninth grade, we lost. In tenth grade, we got to the Final Four. We couldn’t [play] because of COVID. In eleventh, we didn’t have a season. It was a trials-and-tribulations type of thing. That’s probably my best memory there.
PB: When did you develop vitiligo?
GJ: I got vitiligo around 5 years old. I got a little dot on my left eyelid. … It was like a scar that didn’t heal correctly. That’s how it looked. That’s just how it started. I didn’t have any scratches or anything there, it just popped up on my left eye. It spread to my knee first, then it spread all over my face and then it got to my hands and my arm last.
PB: What challenges did that present?
GJ: The challenges I faced with it, kids are mean. They’re going to say what they say. They used to talk about my skin a lot. Even on the basketball court, people used to trash talk about my skin. That was the biggest thing, just learning how to accept me for me. I just started to accept it my 12th grade year. It’s been a good journey with that, just accepting it and letting people talk and being myself.
PB: What kind of process was that for you to get that point of acceptance?
GJ: Sixth or seventh grade, I tried to do treatment for it but it burns your skin. That was too painful. That was around the time when Winnie Harlow went on “America’s Next Top Model.” She also has vitiligo, so that made me come to it a little bit more. Still to this day, she still has modeling contracts and everything. Now, everybody’s looking for vitiligo people to model and stuff like that, so that was a big part of it, just the media embracing it. And also me just being me for myself because the treatment hurt, so that was just like God telling me, “It just is what it is.”
PB: What advice would you give to younger players, particularly those who are growing up with challenges like you did?
GJ: The advice I would give them is seek help. I went to counseling, of course. You have to seek help. Sometimes you can’t do it by yourself. I had to learn that the hard way. Always stay motivated and mentally strong. It’s all about your mental health. Don’t let basketball dictate how you feel. I had to learn that the hard way. You know athletes, we base our [mental health on our performance]. I had to learn how to stop doing that and separate my social life from basketball. Just need to learn that. After that, they’ll be good because basketball’s just mental. After that, they’ll be straight.
PB: Why did you choose to go to Morgan State?
GJ: I chose to go to Morgan because ever since they offered me when I was in ninth grade, they were at every game. They were supporting me in every way when they could talk to me. And when it really came down to it [during] my visit, it felt like family. It felt like home. Of course I’m already home in Baltimore, but it just felt like a bigger thing than that. I love the coaches. I knew they would push me to do great and be better than what I thought I could, push me and motivate me. That’s one thing when it came down to making my choice. Who gave me the warmest welcome? Who told me what it was? That’s how I came to Morgan.
PB: What’s your favorite memory from your college career so far?
GJ: My favorite memory was when we played North Carolina Central at Central [in February 2023]. We were down, and then I hit the three big threes. I had 21 points. That was my first 20 ball in college, so that was probably my favorite memory from last year because I learned a lot. I learned that I can play D-I college basketball and I can play in the MEAC.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Morgan State?
GJ: My favorite thing about Morgan State is that they’ve got that HBCU experience. There are parties everywhere. You can go anywhere on campus, talk to anyone. And also, when it comes to sports, every sport supports each other. Volleyball comes out to football games. We’re all at the volleyball games. Stuff like that is what I enjoy about Morgan. Basketball doubleheaders, everybody’s out. When we play Howard, it’s sold out. I love everything.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Baltimore?
GJ: My favorite thing about Baltimore probably is why I stayed home — the culture we have. Street ball is everyone on the East Coast, but I think ours is a little different just because ours is based on that dog mentality. I know you know Angel Reese. She comes from us. That’s street ball. That’s how everyone learned how to play basketball down here. And I also enjoy [that] you can walk outside, you can see everybody outside. It feels like old times when you go in the city. That’s really why I enjoy it. That’s really why I stayed home, just to feel that family aspect. I know I can go down the street and I can play basketball with anybody.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
GJ: I feel like this year it would be Jael [Butler] — Jael was my fellow freshman last year, now we’re the only two sophomores — just because we got each other on a different level. We were roommates last year, so we had that safe space to talk to one another. I love her. She loves me. We’re always there for each other. … We always keep each other mentally stable also. That’s what it’s all about, your mental health. I think I would consider her my best friend on the team.
PB: Who did you look up to as a freshman last year?
GJ: Probably Ja’Niah Henson just because she’s from Baltimore like me. We always had that bond, even before she came to Morgan. I always looked up to her. I always wanted to play with her just because of her confidence that she’s got, her dog mentality that she’s got. She’s always ready to go get it. That’s what I enjoy most about her. That’s who I really looked up to last year.
PB: What are your goals for after basketball, whenever it ends?
GJ: My major is multimedia journalism with a minor in screenwriting, so I want to be a sports broadcaster/journalist but I also want to be a film critic and direct some movies if I can or screenwrite some plays on Broadway. I want to do stuff like that. A lot of writing things. I’m into creative writing and speaking my mind, being outspoken and stuff like that. I’m into all those things.
Photo Credit: Sebastian Taylor