Men’s Basketball signs A.J. Johnson to National Letter of Intent

AUSTIN, Texas — A.J. Johnson has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Chris Beard announced Monday. Johnson will join the Longhorns for the 2023-24 season.

Johnson (6-5, 165), a guard from Fresno, Calif., who currently plays at Southern California Academy for coach Julius Von Hanzlik, is ranked is ranked as the No. 7 prospect nationally by On3, No. 9 by Rivals, No. 14 by 247 Sports and No. 15 in the 247 Sports Composite.

"A.J. Johnson has one of the highest upsides in the class," said Adam Finkelstein, Director of Scouting for 247 Sports. "He's a late bloomer who has not only continued to physically grow throughout his high school years but simultaneously keeps improving as a player. While we've seen him improve rapidly in recent months and years, I really think he's just scratching the surface of what he could ultimately become."

Johnson played his junior season in 2021-22 at Taft High School (Woodland Hills, Calif.). He averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest as a junior while leading Taft to a 17-7 record.

"A.J. Johnson is one of the most explosive players in the 2023 cycle," said Gerry Hamilton, Senior National Recruiting Analyst for On3. "He possesses an extra gear with ball in hand and elite end-to-end speed. His burst when changing direction allows him to get to his desired spots on the floor with a mid-range jumper that is a differentiator. He has very good feel and timing in the ball screen game. The fact that Johnson doesn't turn 18 until December and can add plenty of strength to his wiry frame makes his ceiling as high as any in the class."

Johnson becomes the second top-15 national player in the class to sign with the Longhorns for the 2023-24 season. Ron Holland (Duncanville, Texas) is ranked as the No. 10 prospect nationally by ESPN and 247 Sports Composite.

2023-24 Texas Basketball Recruiting Class (as of November 21, 2022)

Name	Yr	Pos	Ht	Wt	Hometown (High School)
Ron Holland	Fr.	F	6-8	200	Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville HS)
A.J. Johnson	Fr.	G	6-5	165	Fresno, Calif. (Southern California Academy)

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Men’s Basketball signs A.J. Johnson to National Letter of Intent