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Player Sees New Heights Of Wheeling And Dealing

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Sickles High School standout John Henson poses for a photograph Monday, Nov. 24, 2008.

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 14, 2008

TAMPA - John Henson was just a regular high school student once. He was an above-average small forward entering high school, but between his sophomore and junior years at Round Rock High in Texas, Henson grew 6 inches.

By the start of his junior season, the newly formed 6-foot-10 power forward was the talk of the recruiting world. He raised eyebrows on the Amateur Athletic Union basketball circuit, and in January he verbally committed to the University North Carolina.

Once he committed, however, he started receiving a different level of attention.

"People have called for all the wrong reasons," said Henson, now a senior at Sickles High. "Stuff like that goes on more than people think. You have to watch out for people around you. If you keep your nose clean, you'll get 10 times more than what an agent wants to give you, a little bit of money or shoe money."

As a high school player, LeBron James made headlines after accepting a Hummer H2 sport utility vehicle as a gift from his mother. With the NCAA now monitoring such incidents, Henson doesn't want to find himself involved in those situations.

"What I want John to understand is character will take you far in life," said his father, Matt. "You shouldn't do anything to jeopardize your character. People who all of a sudden want to be your friends, they're looking for payback."

Nick Williams

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