Naperville North senior forward Kendall Johnson spent most of the previous two seasons rooted to the bench, stuck behind a bevy of talented players.

But she wasn’t rotting away.

“I think the last two years she was a sponge,” Naperville North coach Aly Miller said. “She definitely absorbed everything that they taught her. She’s definitely taken that and implemented it with our team this year.

“She’s been a great captain in relaying her basketball IQ and having everybody’s back, so she’s really done a phenomenal job with that role.”

The 5-foot-10 Johnson knew she’d have more responsibility after the graduations of four college-bound players who had contributed to an 86-23 record over the past four seasons. But Johnson and the Huskies (3-5) have also adjusted to an entirely new staff led by Miller, a first-time head coach.

“It’s definitely a shift in role, for sure, but it’s been a great experience,” Johnson said. “We’ve got new coaches and new kids, and I think we’ve done a really good job as a team of trying to adjust.”

Like Miller, who is the daughter and sister of basketball coaches, Johnson comes from a family with deep roots in the sport.

Johnson’s father, Derek, played high school basketball in Crystal Lake and was a walk-on at Illinois Wesleyan. Her older siblings, Amanda and Grant, played basketball for Naperville North. Amanda Johnson is best known for being the goalkeeper on the girls soccer team that won a state championship in 2019.

Kendall Johnson is a co-captain along with senior guard Sydni Fink, a Kentucky soccer recruit who is the only returning starter. Miller said both have done a good job of mentoring the younger players, few of whom have previous varsity experience.

One who does, sophomore point guard Natalie Frempong, said Johnson’s leadership has been vital.

“Kendall has done a great job of encouraging her teammates, especially in practice,” Frempong said. “She’s always being aggressive in practice, and what you do in practice translates to the game.

“She’s doing a great job of contributing to the team. Her energy is so fun to be around.”

Johnson leads by example too. She is averaging a team-high 10.0 points, and her 3.8 rebounding average ranks second. She is shooting 43.1% from the field, including 38.2% on 3-point attempts, and 84.6% from the free-throw line.

Johnson had seven points and three rebounds in a 49-29 loss to visiting Batavia on Saturday. That production came from a variety of spots. As Naperville North’s tallest player, she often has to go inside. But she is more of a perimeter player.

“I’ve tried to play kind of all over when I can,” Johnson said. “It kind of depends on who we’re playing.

“If there’s somebody who is bigger than me, then I’ll try to use that to my advantage and pull them out and maybe take a few more threes. But if it’s somebody who is smaller on me, then I’ll try to post them up. I’m trying to be smart about that.”

Miller likes Johnson’s versatility.

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“She’s unique because she can kind of do both for us,” Miller said. “In general, we are a bit more on the smaller end, so we do rely on our guards and our ballhandling.

“Kendall has been doing a great job lately of getting down there and using her body and trying to get physical and battle.”

Frempong has been pleased with Johnson’s play.

“Kendall has made a great transition to being an all-three-level player,” Frempong said. “She can go inside, she has the midrange and is able to shoot outside from three. We do work a lot in practice on making sure we get the ball to her at times.”

Johnson won’t take all the credit for her play.

“I feel like I’ve been playing well, but it’s not just me,” she said. “I don’t think I could have done it without the team playing so well together.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.