Jermaine Johnson (basketball) facts for kids

Jermaine Johnson Sr. (born July 4, 1985) is an American politician and a former professional basketball player. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Currently, he represents District 52 in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Early Life and Education

Jermaine Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 4, 1985. He moved around a lot during his childhood. He attended seven different high schools while growing up. Eventually, he graduated from The Winchendon School.

Basketball Career Highlights

High School and College Years

Jermaine's basketball talent helped him attend special prep schools. He was interested in playing for the College of Charleston and Long Beach State. He chose to play for the College of Charleston.

During his time at Charleston, he became a key player. In 2008, he scored the very first points in the TD Arena for the Cougars team. He was also the team captain in his final year. Jermaine finished his college career with over 1,100 points and 850 rebounds. This made him one of only four players in the school's history to achieve such high numbers.

Professional Basketball Journey

After college, Jermaine Johnson was drafted by the Reno Bighorns in the NBA Development Draft. He played for them for one year.

He then played professional basketball overseas for more than six years. He played in countries like France, Mexico, Hungary, and Canada. He was especially good in the Mexican Basketball League. There, he averaged 21 points and 8 rebounds in each game.

Political Career and Public Service

Jermaine Johnson is not just a former athlete; he is also a dedicated public servant. He started the New Economic Beginnings Foundation. This group helps young people and veterans find jobs and get educated.

He holds several important roles in the Democratic Party. He is the 3rd Vice Chair of the Richland County Democratic party. He also serves as the Vice Chair of the Young Democrats of the Central Midlands.

Serving in South Carolina

In 2020, Jermaine Johnson decided to run for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He wanted to help his community. His campaign focused on ideas like universal basic income and investing in local communities. He also wanted to improve the economy and make government more accountable.

He won the Democratic Primary election in June 2020. After some changes to district maps, he had to run in a new district in 2022. He won that election too, by a very close margin.

Currently, Jermaine Johnson serves on the House Education and Public Works Committee. He is also the Secretary of the House Minority Caucus. In 2023, he worked with another representative, Brandon Cox, to propose a monument. This monument would honor Robert Smalls at the South Carolina State House. In 2024, Jermaine was chosen to be part of the commission for this monument.

Personal Life

Jermaine Johnson lives in South Carolina with his wife and their four children. He recently started coaching a basketball team with his son. His daughter also plays on her middle school basketball team. He earned a special degree called a Doctorate of Business Administration in 2018.