SON SHINING; JOHNSON FOLLOWS HUGE FOOTSTEPS OF DAD, BROTHER.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer

When Josiah Johnson walked into the gym last summer at Montclair Prep, Bob Webb couldn't believe his eyes.

Standing before him wasn't the 5-foot-8 water boy Webb often saw at UCLA games with his father, former Bruins and NBA player Marques Johnson. Instead, he was staring at a 6-foot-6, 220-pound 16-year-old.

``The day he walked into the gym for the first time I was like `Wow,' '' Webb said. ``This wasn't the same kid I remembered.''

And that was just fine with Webb, who played with Marques Johnson at UCLA and became the boys' basketball coach at Montclair Prep this summer. At the time, Josiah Johnson was considering leaving Crenshaw, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years, for Montclair Prep, where brother Kris played two years before transferring to Crenshaw in the early 1990s. Johnson wasn't happy with the playing time he was slated to get at Crenshaw.

One look at Josiah was all the convincing Webb needed that Johnson would be a good fit with the Mounties.

``I remember thinking `Yeah, he can definitely play for us,' '' Webb said.

The walk is reminiscent of his dad, the height and size more like his brother. The question now is whether Josiah Johnson can elevate his game to become the type of players Marques Johnson and Kris Johnson became.

Marques was an All-American at UCLA from 1974-77 before going on to an NBA career. Kris Johnson was the City Player of the Year at Crenshaw before moving on to UCLA, where he was a key player from 1994-98.

Now comes Josiah. It's not the easiest thing, trying to follow in the footsteps of a talented father and brother. There's pressure to measure up to their accomplishments, and people automatically assume you'll be able to dominate like your relatives.

There was a time when the comparisons bothered Josiah. He wondered when people would judge him on his own terms, rather than the father and brother that came before him.

Eventually, he decided to ignore it.

``I just finally got to the point where I decided I am my own person and my own player,'' Johnson said. ``I mean, my dad was one kind of player, my brother had his game and I've got mine. It was difficult at first, following them, but I'm OK with it now.''

Johnson is playing center for the Mounties, but he enjoys extending out to the perimeter, where he's able to do the thing he loves most: Shoot jumpers.

It's easy to understand why. Johnson can shoot the ball (much better than Kris could at a similar age). Where Kris was an inside force, Josiah - averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds through seven games - has the ability to catch and shoot from most anywhere.

``He's got that really nice soft shooting touch,'' Webb said. ``You notice that right away about him.''

Johnson's shooting ability was honed during pickup games with his father and brother. They rarely took it easy on him, which meant Josiah had to develop a quick shot just to keep up.

``You have to shoot it fast when you play against Kris or he'll send it back,'' Johnson said.

Watching him now, it's obvious Josiah learned well.

``He'll rarely bring the ball below his head, which is something young players do all the time,'' Webb said. ``That's something he learned from his dad.''

As good a shooter as he is, Josiah understands he needs to advance other parts of his game if he wants to have an impact at the next level. At his size, he needs to be a better, more physical inside player. And he'll need to develop a better move to the basket.

``Those are the things I have to work on,'' Johnson said. ``That's what I want to do these next two years, just become a better all-around player.''

He also needs to watch his diet. Like his brother Kris at the same age, Josiah has some baby fat to shed. Kris lost 40 pounds between his freshman and sophomore years at Montclair Prep. When he got to UCLA, he dropped another 30 after his first year.

Josiah isn't nearly as heavy as Kris was, but there's still work to be done.

``It's just a matter of him eating right and taking care of his body better,'' said Webb, who believes Josiah can succeed on the college level.

`The tools are there, and he's shown that he's willing to work to get better,'' he said. ``He has a bright future.''

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PHOTO (Color) Montclair Prep's Josiah Johnson, son of ex-UCLA star Marques Johnson, is averaging 19 points.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News