August 14, 2015 – Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White talks about guard Shenise Johnson’s recent play, the future she sees for the fourth-year guard, and the importance of the versatility she brings to the floor.

The Indiana Fever are 11-3 in their last fourteen games, and a big reason for the team’s recent success has been the consistent production of guard Shenise Johnson.

Johnson, in her first year with the Fever after she was traded to Indiana in February from the San Antonio Stars, along with the Star’s 2015 second round pick, for the Fever’s 2015 first and third round picks, is in her fourth WNBA season out of Miami, where she was a two-time All-American and three-time All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Defensive Team honoree.

Johnson has scored in double figures in 11 of her last 13 games, including her last seven games in a row. Her consistent play has almost directly coincided with the Fever’s 11-3 run. Two of those three losses, however, came with Johnson unable to suit up because of an ankle injury, and they were both 18-point defeats, July 17 against the Mystics and July 21 against the Stars.

PHOTO GALLERY: See photos of Johnson in action this season »»

The Stars selected Johnson fifth overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft, and she showed flashes of her potential and versatility early in her career. In her second season, she averaged 11 points per game while also logging 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in 33 games (24 starts). She started one game apiece in her first and third seasons in San Antonio, and has played in 19 games (15 starts) so far this season.

When the Fever acquired Johnson in the offseason, head coach Stephanie White thought that Johnson could turn into an All-Star caliber player, and she has echoed those sentiments throughout the season.

“I’m not sure there is a ceiling for her,” White said. “I’ve told her from day one that she has the potential to be an All-Star in this league. But ‘potential’ is just a word, you’ve got to go out and you’ve got to work at it and you’ve got to find a way to get there. I think her growth this season has proven that she wants that.”

It’s not hard to notice the all-around impact Johnson can have on a game, and White stressed the importance of that impact.

“It certainly helps when you have players who can play in a lot of areas, not only creating for themselves but creating for others,” White said. “It’s an added bonus for us.”

Part of the optimism surrounding Johnson is the feeling that she could just be hitting her stride as she gets acclimated to a new team and a new city.

“It takes a while to transition from one team to the next,” Johnson said. “Being more aggressive, picking and choosing my spots, I kind of know what my role is on this team now.”

Johnson credits the Fever organization, from the front office to the coaching staff to her teammates, for helping create a seamless transition.

“[The transition] was fairly easy,” she said. “It’s always a little nerve-racking, it’s kind of like the first day of school all over again, ‘Is everybody going to like me?’ But here, it’s fairly simple. I think it starts with [president/general manager] Kelly [Krauskopf] and then just trickles on down. [Coach White] was a player not too long ago. She’s kind of a players’ coach, so we have a great dynamic with her.”

Johnson also does not take lightly the fact that she is teammates with one of the best players in league history, a player she grew up watching.

“I’ve always been a great fan of Tamika Catchings,” Johnson said. “I watched her growing up. I watched her at Tennessee. She definitely talks the talk and walks the walk. She’s a leader on and off the court. It’s been a pleasure to get to watch her and to actually play with her now, it’s exciting.”

Johnson has stuffed the stat sheet this season. She leads the league in 3-point percentage, knocking down 42.3% of her attempts. Her 11.6 scoring average is third on the team, and she also holds the third-best field goal percentage with 48.5%, and is tied for third with 2.1 assists per game. In addition, she is second on the team in rebounds (4.8 per game) and steals (1.4 per game).

It’s not hard to notice the all-around impact Johnson can have on a game, and White stressed the importance of that impact.

“It certainly helps when you have players who can play in a lot of areas, not only creating for themselves but creating for others,” White said. “It’s an added bonus for us.”

“I’m pretty versatile,” Johnson said. “Pass a little bit, shoot a little bit, rebound, and I’m all up for guarding the opponent’s best player. I kind of just find where the team needs me, and try to excel in that.”