Four-star PG Marcus Johnson commits to South Carolina men’s basketball
South Carolina men’s basketball landed its biggest commitment of the 2026 recruiting cycle so far — and one with a familiar last name.
Marcus Johnson, cousin of current USC guard Meechie Johnson, committed to the Gamecocks on Thursday. Johnson is a top-40 recruit and the No. 3 point guard in the 2026 class, per the 247Sports rankings. When Johnson signs, he’ll be the highest-ranked freshman enrollee at USC since GG Jackson signed with the Gamecocks in 2022.
Johnson decommitted from Ohio State on Oct. 27 after being verbally pledged to the Buckeyes since April 2024. Gamecock head coach Lamont Paris and assistants Will Bailey and Carey Rich visited Johnson in Ohio four days after his decommitment.
South Carolina originally offered the 6-foot-2 guard back in 2023 in the middle of Meechie Johnson’s All-SEC second team campaign. Johnson received offers from Alabama, Illinois and 13 other schools besides USC. The Gamecocks beat out programs including Michigan, Florida, Xavier and Ohio State to land Johnson.
Johnson is expected to sign during the fall signing period, which began Wednesday and runs through Nov. 19. He joins Isaac Ellis as the other member of USC's 2026 signing class. Ellis is the brother of USC freshman guard Eli Ellis.
A product of Cleveland, Ohio, Johnson plays at Garfield Heights, the same as his father, Sonny Johnson, and Meechie Johnson. He earned Ohio’s Mr. Basketball award last season as junior, averaging 29.7 points 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He put up 19 points, 5.2 rebounds and three assists last AAU season on the Nike EYBL circuit.
This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 5:59 PM.
