Talented freshman Marcus Johnson will have role on veteran roster, Lamont Paris says
With a roster made up mostly of transfers, there still will be a role for prized South Carolina men’s basketball signee Marcus Johnson.
One of only two high school players signed by Lamont Paris in the Class of 2026 (Wilson Hall’s Ford Wilder was the other), Johnson is expected to have an impact in his first season with the Gamecocks. The Ohio native arrived at USC this month as the Gamecocks began summer workouts in preparation for the season and the team’s trip to the Bahamas in August.
“As the average age of basketball continues to get older, some of the high-level recruits aren’t playing a big role unless they have a crazy level of over-achievement,” Paris told reporters. “But Marcus we are bringing in because he has a real role and that is part of the reason that he should come here.”
Johnson won’t have to carry the load or be the go-to guy for the Gamecocks in his freshman year. He’ll be surrounded with a lot of veterans, similar to how Paris set things up for Collin Murray-Boyles in his freshman season. Murray-Boyles carved out a role during his first season and, a year later, became a first-round NBA Draft pick by the Toronto Raptors.
South Carolina has five seniors or graduate students on the roster and a pair of international players in Juan Fernandez and Hugo Lopez who are 22 years of age or older.
“He will be surrounded by older guys, which is the way to bring guys along,” Paris said.
Johnson is one of the highest-rated recruits signed by the Gamecocks in the modern 247Sports rankings, only behind GG Jackson, Sindarius Thornwell, PJ Dozier and Cam Scott. Jackson is in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, while Thornwell and Dozier were part of USC’s 2017 Final Four team and are still playing overseas.
247Sports ranks Johnson as a four-star prospect and No. 57 overall for the Class of 2026. He was two-time Mr. Ohio basketball player, one of seven to accomplish that feat along with LeBron James (the state’s only three-time winner).
Johnson averaged 28.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.7 steals in his senior season at Garfield Heights High School. He finished his career with 2,364 points, which ranks him in the top 30 in Ohio high school basketball history.
The 6-foot-2 guard was originally committed to Ohio State, but Paris and the Gamecocks were able to flip him from the home-state Buckeyes. USC had a lot going for itself in Johnson’s recruitment with Marcus’ cousin Meechie Johnson playing for the Gamecocks and Paris having a long relationship with the Johnson family.
“His family, I had a comfortability with for years and years,” Paris said. “Meechie being able to tell him what practice was like, who I am as a human being, how he is going to be coached. All those things really helped.
“... He is a really hard worker and has a good level of toughness. He’s got that explosive burst that we got used to from the likes of Meechie Johnson. He has a different flair and shake and moves differently than Meechie.”
Meechie Johnson talked about his cousin after he signed with the Gamecocks, and he believes he has a chance to have a big impact for Paris.
“He’s going to be very special. I think he’s got a chance to be a lot better than me,” Meechie said. “Coming into a great system with Coach Paris, having four years with him, I think he’s got a chance to be special. I’m excited for him to come to Columbia and have a chance to put on for this city. I think he’ll be good.”
