In-state standout Keon Johnson gets visit from Rick Barnes
Tennessee’s recruiting efforts have already given a clear indication of how much impact the Vols’ recent success has extended their reach when it comes to getting involved with top prospects. The staff has already landed a commitment from Corey Walker Jr., a top-30 prospect from Florida and hosted five-star Jaden Springer on the only official visit he took during the season.
With that said, one of the biggest targets on the board remains a home grown specimen from the Mid-State area in four-star wing man Keon Johnson, who has been a Tennessee priority since his sophomore year.
Head coach Rick Barnes, along with new assistant Kim English, made the trip to Webb School in Bell Buckle (Tenn.) last week to meet face-to-face with Johnson.
“He told me that he really felt like I could benefit myself and Tennessee if I chose to make Knoxville my home, that it would help them with other in-state players and that he thinks I’m a good fit for the program,” Johnson said of the message Barnes delivered to him during their visit.
“He told me that they see me as a combo guard, as someone that can play off the ball in their offense but also can help bring the ball up.”
Johnson plays at small private high school, and prior to this year, has played for an unaffiliated AAU program, the EAB All-Stars. That didn’t stop him from exploding on the scene last year as a Top-50 national prospect and he’s since climbed higher in the rankings. No doubt at least partly due to his status as an elite recruit Johnson’s EAB squad has been picked up by the adidas grass roots program this summer.
A versatile wing who can score in a variety of ways, Johnson is fearless attacking the basket, works the boards hard on both ends of the floor and has all the tools to be a ferocious defender at the next level.
As for where his recruitment stands at the moment, Johnson is careful to say that things are still open.
“I haven’t narrowed my list down to a certain number of schools yet, I’m still open to listening to anyone that wants to try and recruit me,” he said. “I have a group of schools that I hear from more than others but I’ve not cut things down yet to just a few that I’m looking at.”
The four schools that Johnson listed as being in the most frequent contact with him haven’t changed since the fall. He identified that group as being Tennessee, Virginia, Ole Miss and Vandy.
“Those four schools contact me pretty much every day,” Johnson said of that group. “I feel like I have a strong connecting with all of them.”
To this point Barnes is the only head coach who has visited Johnson this spring, though he did speak with new Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse for the first time last week.
Johnson made an official visit to Tennessee back in the fall and returned this winter for an unofficial visit during the season to take in a game.
During Barnes’ visit last week, Johnson had a chance to meet new assistant coach Kim English for the first time.
“I liked him a lot,” Johnson said. “He’s not that far from being a player himself and he has NBA experience. I like that he has that perspective. That’s my dream, to play in the NBA, and he knows what it takes as a player to get there.”
Johnson makes it clear that his relationship with the coaching staff is going to be a large factor in his decision. He ranks it high among the criteria he’s using to help him navigate the recruiting process.
“I want to go somewhere that I know the coach is going to keep his word and be honest about things,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to be sold one thing in recruiting, just be told what I want to hear and then have things change once I get there.”
Rivals ranks Johnson as the No. 34 player in the Class of 2020.