Just seven months ago, as UT-Arlington point guard Cierra Johnson walked off the hardwood of the Schollmaier Arena at Texas Christian University, she knew her time as a Lady Maverick basketball player was finished. Over her shoulder, the scoreboard loomed, the display reading TCU 71, UTA 54 and 0:00 on the clock.   

            The TCU Horned Frogs had eliminated the UTA Lady Mavs in the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

            And as TCU celebrated their win, Johnson faced the uncertainty of her basketball future. For five years Johnson had a secured position playing under the bright lights of College Park Center at UTA. With graduation approaching, she continued to participate in basketball combines but knew her days as a ball player weren’t over yet.

            It was at a combine in Minneapolis that she was introduced to a sports agency who quickly began distributing Johnson’s game highlights. Among teams to receive highlights was Mark Basket Marbo, a Swedish franchise only formed within the last decade.

            Also known as BK Marbo, the club is still searching for its first Damligan league title and has a lot to prove. So, it didn’t take long for the organization to recognize Johnson’s talent and propose a contract. The former Lady Mav quickly agreed to a one-year deal with the team for the 2019-2020 season.

            Johnson said that after the deal had been made official the realization of being able to play professional basketball felt surreal.

            “The fact that I get the opportunity is great and something I have been wanting to do for a long time,” Johnson said.

            And she was not the only person celebrating the good news very few college athletes get to hear. Her family and friends were beyond excited and happy for her to be awarded the chance to continue her basketball career Johnson says. Now she would be traveling 5,000 miles from home to pursue that opportunity.

            “I love to see everyone succeed and I have no doubt in my mind Cierra will have a successful pro career,” David Davis, a friend from home, said. “Her hard work has finally paid off and it’s amazing to see her use her talent to travel the world to play basketball.”

           “Many people can’t make it to that next level,” Davis said. “She defeated the odds.”

            Colleagues, like former student basketball assistant Sofia Williams, believe the mental fortitude Johnson developed on the American courts will serve her well on the foreign ones.

           “Cierra is tough and won’t take crap from anyone,” Williams said. “She doesn’t live her life caring what other people think, but most importantly, she is a caring person with a big heart.”

            Today Johnson is one of roughly 15,000 people living in Kinna, Sweden, a rural area in the southern part of the country. This is a far cry from the 6.8 million residents that the World Population Review reports in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She realizes she is far from home but that the opportunity is even further from ordinary.

            And while she is honored to be able to call herself a professional athlete, Johnson finds that the shift from for-fun to for-money status is challenging, especially for those who play overseas.

            Johnson said that getting acclimated to the weather was tough, but one of the biggest challenges is not having loved ones around to talk to everyday.

           One of the exceptions is Johnson’s former UTA coach, Krista Gerlich, with whom she speaks frequently. Gerlich believes Johnson does have the right intangibles to stand out in Sweden.

           “I think it’s because of her athleticism because of how aggressive and strong she is,” Gerlich said. “The fact that she just brings a smack attitude and a smack game make her high in demand because [teams] need that toughness.”

            Completely uprooting and changing one’s way of life is not for the weak and while Johnson has become accustomed to the area, she admits that not every day was easy in the beginning.

           “Everything is different,” Johnson said. “It looks different. It’s a small town. Everything is smaller here. Like the bathrooms are smaller here.”

            Johnson’s family is not a part of her new home, but there is a modicum of familiarity. One player from the states signed to BK Marbo with Johnson and another will join them next week she says. In adjusting to this new normal, Johnson says she has found some comfort in getting to know her new teammates.

            “They are really nice, and chemistry is being built every day,” Johnson said.

             With the season underway in the Damligan, Johnson plans to pick up where she left off when she removed her UT-Arlington jersey with the number zero on the back for the last time. 

             She has adapted to a new lifestyle and overcome tough changes, but Johnson is excited about the opportunity and will be looking to make a significant impact with the team as she begins her professional career. And while the number on the back of the jersey has changed, the heart and passion inside the person have not.