In just two seasons, Javontae Campbell has forever carved his name into the BGSU men’s basketball record books as one of the most elite defenders in program history.
Campbell has set the single-season program record for steals in back-to-back campaigns, tallying 90 last year and 96 this season, earning Mid-American Conference (MAC) Defensive Player of the Year.
“It means everything to me. On that side of the ball, I’ve always had a little grit to me, and it’s just been fun, and grateful to do it here at BG,” Campbell said. “I always wanted to break my own record, so that was a great feeling.”
The senior guard also reached 2,000 career collegiate points and 1,000 points as a Falcon.
“He’s a pro in working on his game. It’s how he lives his life, though; he does everything at a high standard, the right way,” head coach Todd Simon said.
Campbell’s determination sets him apart from the average collegiate basketball player.
“His motor and competitive drive are absolutely special. You can’t coach it, you can’t put in that type of motor. He plays the game with reckless abandon,” Simon said. “He gets credit for the steals, and 183 steals in two seasons is absolutely bananas, but the fact that we chart deflections and usually if you get 20 deflections as a team, you’re in pretty good shape. I mean, he’s had games of 12 to 15 deflections by himself, which is absolutely unheard of. So it’s interesting to see how teams are scheming just to get him away from the play.”
Campbell’s dominance was best on display on Nov. 9 against Le Moyne when he tied the single-game program record with eight steals.
“Javontae, when he gets fired up, it’s like, ‘Oh, boy.’ If he gets hit or someone gets physical, I have to sit there in my head and say, ‘Oh no, you’ve done it.’ He’s going to pick you up full now and he’s going to take that ball,” Simon said. “Sometimes as a coach, we’ll just tell him in the huddle, ‘Javontae, just take it from this guy.’ Then, he’ll go out there and take it from him. He’s just got an unbelievable knack for the ball, his quickness and his instincts. Sometimes he’ll bait guys into situations where he knows he can get it from them; he’s just so savvy and so smart.”
Simon believes Campbell is one of the best defensive players he has coached across his time at Findlay Prep, UNLV, Southern Utah and Bowling Green.
“He’s got a lot of that Avery Bradley ability in him, because Avery will pick you up full and he’s going to take it from you. He can make good handlers feel insecure, and not many guys have that ability,” Simon said.
Campbell overcame as much adversity as virtually any player in college basketball last season, playing the second half of the year with a broken hand before playing the final two weeks with two broken hands.
Despite the setbacks, he led the conference in steals without missing a game.
“The dude played with two broken hands last year, and I don’t think any coach on the staff asked him to play; it was just something that he was doing and he wanted to do. I mean, he practiced his heart out every day,” associate head coach Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. said. “I think what has impressed me the most about him is he never complains; he doesn’t complain about anything. So, I think that’s been the most impressive thing about him, and even though he’s done some pretty cool stuff, he never makes anything about him, he’s always about the team, even though he doesn’t talk much.”
Ironically, an injury was one of the key reasons that led Campbell to choose Bowling Green.
Although he was named an Honorable Mention National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American during the 2023-24 season, Campbell suffered a knee injury that evaporated the interest from many Division I teams—but not Bowling Green.
“A lot of coaches gave up on me, but Bowling Green kept texting me; it just meant a lot to me. So, I just always knew I wanted to come here,” Campbell said. “Having that type of career in juco and being unwanted, it wasn’t a great feeling. So, for Bowling Green to bring me in and give me a great training staff, it just meant everything to me.”
However, after one season with the Falcons, Campbell entered the transfer portal. He ultimately decided to stay in northwest Ohio.
“I talked to the coaches here at BG, and at the end of the day, I was just like, ‘Dang, I have no idea why I entered the portal.’ I have no idea why I wanted to leave here,” Campbell said. “This is home, so I’m very glad I came back here.”
Campbell’s display of loyalty is something that is few and far between in today’s era of collegiate athletics.
“It’s such a rarity. Hats off to the staff, the culture and the guys on the team building something that people want to be a part of. I think it’s very, very important. But Javontae is a loyal person. I think we have a very good bond, and I think he likes what this is. We just continued to talk throughout that process,” Simon said. “Here’s a guy that gave everything on the line, but you’re also talking about generational money in the portal for guys up to that production level. So, we try to be very supportive and treating these guys like family a little bit. Ultimately, when push came to shove, his heart was here, and we’re certainly glad it was.”
Campbell has helped Simon and everyone around him improve professionally and personally during his two years at BG.
“You take him for granted. I told him one of my great pleasures in coaching is to coach him the last two years because he’s just such an everyday guy and such a quality human being about the right stuff,” Simon said. “He’s the type of person that you hope your kids grow up to be like because he just does so many things just as a quality person. That’s inspiring. You have to buckle down and do your absolute best for people like that.”
Nairn hopes Campbell is remembered by fans as someone who embodied Bowling Green.
“I think it’s going to be one of perseverance. It’s going to be one of teamwork, toughness and dedication,” Nairn said. “I mean, for a guy to put his body on the line with two broken hands and then also be battling back from a knee injury, I hope his legacy is that he tried every single night for BG to be successful. That doesn’t mean that was always the outcome, but I hope the fans know and the alumni know that this kid was all about leaving it all on the floor every night to try to help Bowling Green win.”
Simon believes Campbell is the type of player that is one-of-one.
“He’s a unicorn. Some guys are just one in a million,” Simon said. “What he did playing through two broken hands and all the other injuries he’s had, you’re seeing something you don’t see very often, you don’t know if you’ll ever see it again.”
Campbell is still chasing more history, as he is just seven steals away from tying Bonzi Wells’ MAC single-season record of 103 steals set during the 1997-98 campaign at Ball State.
Although Campbell would love to reach another milestone, his ultimate goal is to lead the Falcons to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1968.
“I hope my legacy is honestly to win the MAC Tournament in 2026,” Campbell said. “That’s the main goal. That’s what I would love to do.”
