"There’s a reason why he’s a First Team All-American and has a chance to be National Player of the Year. Things looked slow to him. He wasn’t rushed. He was patient. Whether we doubled, whether he was by himself, whether he was running the floor, he’s in full command of his game. He does so many things for this team. He was the best player on the floor, and I don’t think it was even close."

"When you’re at the upper echelon of the National POY conversation, your numbers speak for themselves. So, I look for additional attributes that help him stand out. There is a confidence and an attitude with Johni that I really admire. Before, expectations used to be, ‘How do we win the SEC or an SEC Tournament?’ And now it feels like there’s nothing that’s acceptable unless you win a championship. I think he epitomizes that because it’s done on a game-by-game basis."

"We felt like on film, he was one of the very best if not the best player in college basketball so far this season. He certainly lived up to that in person. He’s talented. He plays with great poise. It’s really hard to speed him up. He’s a good passer. Unfortunately, we didn’t force him into different moves enough. He kept getting to his spot, left hand. But listen, he deserves a ton of credit. It wasn’t for a lack of effort. He’s a really good player, and they play very well off him."

"The question when he came to Auburn was if this was going to translate at the same level, and it did. Not only this year but last year. But he’s just taken it to another level this year and keeps expanding his game. He’s got counters to everything that comes at him. When he gets doubled, he’s such a good passer. He’s such a presence with his size and skill level and his want to. He’s the real deal. He’s just a great college player."

"He’s a great player. Obviously, we’ve had a lot of great big guys. When they get the ball in certain spots, you’re at their mercy if you don’t come with a double. And then sometimes when you’re in the middle of the court, it’s harder than hell to have a double right there. He’s a good player. He’s real and they’re real."

"When you get a guy who is leading you in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, but more importantly, it never seems like he’s chasing anything – it’s all in the confines of what they’re trying to do within the offense – I think that’s what makes him so special."