Coming out of Thompson HS in 2020, Chaney Johnson wasn't on the radars of many, if any, college teams. The Alabaster, Ala., native ended up enrolling at Alabama-Huntsville, where he played three seasons for the Chargers, ultimately winning the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season after posting 15.9 points and 6.6 rebounds during his sophomore season.
Denver Jones' path to Division-I basketball took even more of an indirect route. The guard started at Garden City Community College in Kansas before heading to Florida International, where he proved to be an explosive scorer for the Panthers, putting up 20.8 points per game in 2022-23 on his way to earning a first-team nod in the Conference USA All Conference team.
Despite how they arrived at Auburn, they are now part of the unanimous No. 1 team in college basketball, both reaping awards from their hard work to get to the Plains.
Their coach, Bruce Pearl, can't speak more highly of the players who were overlooked coming out of high school.
"They're two of our hardest workers," he said. "They're two of our best teammates. They're two of our guys that have the most wonderful family support."
Both in their second seasons with the Tigers, Jones has transitioned from shooting guard to point guard, something needed when Aden Holloway and Tre Donaldson left during this previous offseason. He's filled that role fabulously, averaging 10.9 points and 2.4 assists per game while sharing duties with freshman Tahaad Pettiford. The New Market, Ala., native has also proven to be one of the best defenders in college basketball, regularly drawing the assignment of the opponent's best guard.
Johnson, meanwhile, has become a force inside for Pearl's squad. His 10.3 points per game might rank sixth on Auburn's deep roster, but Johnson is tied with Dylan Cardwell for second in rebounds per game at 5.1.
The result? Both have earned their spots on the nation's best team while doing everything the right way.
"They're Auburn men," Pearl said. "Denver will graduate this spring. Chaney graduated in December. They just check off every box. They're both men of faith and family. They've been an absolute joy to coach. Two of the best teammates on our team -- just unselfish, hard working, care more about winning and others than they do about themselves."
