Arizona basketball lands top recruit in forward Stanley Johnson
Nov 15, 2013, 11:44 PM | Updated: Nov 16, 2013, 3:14 am
Arizona landed one of the country’s top hoops recruits Friday as it received a verbal commitment from small forward Stanley Johnson.
Johnson, a six-foot-six senior from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., is widely considered one of the top 10 recruits in his class. Scout.com gave Johnson five stars and is its No. 2 SF in the 2014 class.
Scout.com’s player evaluation of Johnson listed him as competitive and strong, adding, “With broad shoulders and the frame to carry all that muscle without sacrificing any flexibility, Johnson is among the most powerful wings in the country.”
Johnson announced his decision on ESPN with a custom pair of Arizona shoes, explaining he’s a big fan of sneakers and wanted to make the announcement special.
“Arizona’s a great school overall,” Johnson said. “I think what put me over the top for them was just the way they recruited me since freshman year.
“From the beginning, I always told everybody I want the feeling of family, and when I got to campus, the two times I’ve been there with my parents, they showed that the best.”
Johnson is the ninth-best recruit in ESPN’s 100, and they gave him a grade of 96, the same score current Wildcat Aaron Gordon received last year. In their report, Johnson was likened to Ron Artest, but added he doesn’t possess exceptional explosiveness.
Arizona beat out Kentucky and USC to land Johnson. He joins power forward, Craig Victor and guards Kadeem Allen and Parker Jackson-Cartwright in Arizona’s 2014 recruiting class.
