Edward 'EJ' Joyner 5'4 110 2024 Boo Williams-Strothers
EJ has been playing with the Menchville High School varsity team much of the summer and fall and plays with the 2023 classification in the Boo Williams program. In the layup lines he stands out right now as one of the smaller players on the floor but once they go live he stands out for more significant reasons as his crafty ball-handling and playmaking skills and shot-making prowess are on full display.
EJ is a terrific ball-handler, his assortment of quick crossovers, between the legs and inside out dribbles, use of hesitations, and his shiftiness notwithstanding, he is an intelligent floor general who can break defenders down and once in the lane has the uncanny ability to find open teammates thanks to his vision and passing skills. EJ shows great poise and rarely turns the ball over and his quickness, ability to abruptly stop and start and change directions makes for a difficult defensive assignment. He compliments his ability to get into the lane regularly with very good shot-making skills and is one of the better shooters in the area when pulling up off the dribble both from deep and in the mid-range. Gets separation using step backs and on catch and shoot opportunities he displays a quick release and textbook mechanics, his footwork is sound.
EJ is always on balance, can attack in either direction, and plays with poise and confidence. Very athletic with great instincts his skill level for a player so young is most Impressive. Also impressive is his extremely high basketball IQ which is on display in every facet of his game from his decision-making with the ball to his awareness defensively. EJ is a quick, harassing on-ball defender who brings a good deal of energy on the defensive end. Maintains good posture, quick rotations, and quick helps. Never out of position. EJ is one of the more exciting up and comers in the area given his skill level and a solid work ethic. Add to that he is being coached by one of the most highly regarded basketball skills coaches in the area in Menchville High School Head Coach Lamont Strothers.
Coach Strothers has enjoyed great success in the coaching ranks both at the professional, collegiate, and high school level after a 12-year professional basketball career which began when he was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in the 1991 NBA draft after a record-setting career at Christopher Newport University. You can't have a better teacher than actually having a successful player and college coach as a parent! EJ is the son of Hampton University Head Coach Edward 'Buck' Joyner who enjoyed a stellar playing career at Johnson C Smith where he was one of the top guards in the CIAA while leading the Golden Bulls to three CIAA titles and three trips to the NCAA DII Tournament. Coach Joyner is the winningest coach in Hampton University D1 history and has earned several coaching accolades while turning the Pirates into a perennial MEAC and now Big South power. Suffice it to say EJ is surrounded by high successful basketball people which, along with his work ethic and natural instincts is part of the excitement surrounding him and bodes well for his continued development. Coaches should begin monitoring him now, EJ certainly has a chance to be a special player.