Now it’s nephew’s turn at Long Beach State

Kejuan Johnson, like the rest of Long Beach State’s basketball players, is headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time. But if Johnson needs advice on how to handle the bright lights of the big time, at least he can turn to someone close.

Johnson’s uncle is Lucious Harris, a Long Beach State alumnus who led the team to the 1993 NCAA tournament, scoring 27 points as No. 11-seeded Long Beach State lost to No. 6 Illinois, 75-72.

Harris was subsequently drafted by the Dallas Mavericks and spent 12 years in the NBA before retiring after the 2005 season.

Johnson, Long Beach’s second-leading scorer, hopes to one-up his uncle at the college level when his team faces Tennessee in a first-round game at Columbus, Ohio, on Friday.