5-star CG AJ Johnson signs with Texas

Head coach Chris Beard and the Texas Longhorns landed an elite combo guard on Monday when Casaic (Calif.) Southern California Academy standout AJ Johnson committed to and signed with the Longhorns.

The 6’5, 165-pounder took an official visit to Austin in September when the football team hosted Alabama and also took official visits to Louisville and LSU while holding 22 total offers. Ranked as a consensus five-star prospect, Johnson is the No. 14 player nationally and the No. 2 combo guard, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

“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.”

Playing at Taft High School in Woodland Hills as a junior, Johnson averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per contest.

Johnson is the second signee of the 2023 class for the Longhorns, joining Duncanville forward Ron Holland, who is ranked as the No. 10 player in the class.