Roy Williams Reveals How UNC Treated Cam Johnson’s Cramps

During UNC’s 90-82 win over NC State last week, senior Cam Johnson went down with cramps in both of his legs.

Johnson lay motionless on the court for a few moments before athletics trainers tended to him and eventually escorted him back into the locker room.

Speaking on his radio show — “Roy Williams Live” — Roy Williams said it was a tense moment at first.

“I mean when I was walking out there, I don’t mind telling anybody, but I had this terrible feeling in my stomach,” Williams said. “That kid’s gone through enough, and I didn’t want him to have to go through anything more.”

But when Johnson told Williams that it was just cramps and not something more severe, Williams turned right back around and went to the bench.

“You’re gonna hurt like crazy, but you’re gonna be alright.”

Williams credits Jenn Thompson, who travels with the team as a member of the student-athlete academic support program, with getting Johnson back on his feet, literally.

“She’s Jack of all trades,” Williams said. “She went up to the concession stands and asked some people for pickle juice and then they took it down there and he drank some pickle juice.”

Pickle juice has often been used as a remedy by athletes to relieve cramping and replenish electrolytes following a workout.

However, Williams jokingly said you could never catch him drinking pickle juice.

“I said if that’d been me, I would’ve told them no, my leg feels fine. I wasn’t gonna drink that crap. So I jumped up and ran back out on the court before I drank that.”