Four-star PG Marcus Johnson signs with South Carolina, Lamont Paris weighs in

A few days after Cleveland (Ohio) Garfield Heights’ standout Marcus Johnson committed to South Carolina men’s basketball, the Gamecocks announced the class of 2026 four-star point guard’s signing on Sunday afternoon.

“Marcus is a tough kid,” head coach Lamont Paris said via release after Johnson signed his financial aid agreement with the university. “He can be so explosive as a scorer, but more importantly he has always shown the know-how and the willingness to make plays for his teammates as well. He has great creativity as an offensive player and knows how to get into nooks and crannies without getting himself into trouble.

“He is very good at attacking situations in transition and in the paint but is just as comfortable putting pressure on defenses from behind the 3-point line too. In addition, I really believe Marcus has the potential to be a very impactful defender, particularly on the ball.”

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Johnson, the first cousin of South Carolina standout Meechie Johnson, chose the Gamecocks over interest from Indiana, Syracuse, Illinois, USC, Cincinnati, and others, in addition to Ohio State, which he was committed to for months.

The younger Johnson is the No. 48 overall player in the 2026 Rivals Industry Ranking and the No. 8-ranked point guard in the cycle. He is the No. 5 overall player in Ohio per the Rivals150.

While he never took a visit to the school, Paris and assistants Will Bailey and Carey Rich traveled to Cleveland to meet with Johnson and his family a couple of weeks ago.

Johnson won Gatorade Player of the Year in 2024 after averaging 23.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game his sophomore season.

He won the prestigious award again after a strong junior campaign in 2024-25, averaging 29.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Johnson was also named 2025 Ohio Mr. Basketball.

Johnson’s father, Sonny Johnson, is a basketball legend in the area and coached both his son, Marcus, and nephew, Meechie, at Garfield Heights.

Marcus and his father became the first father-son duo to win Mr. Basketball in Ohio history. Sonny won the award at Garfield Heights in 1998.

Johnson is a three-time First Team All-Ohio selection, becoming the first ever freshman to earn the distinction in 2023. He becomes the first ever Mr. Basketball outside of the Palmetto State to sign with South Carolina.

247Sports has the 6-foot-2, 175-pounder ranked the highest in the point guard rankings, making him the No. 3 player in the country at his position. ESPN is the highest overall, placing him as the No. 28 overall prospect in the 2026 class.

Johnson is the second pledge to the Gamecocks’ class, joining another prospect with family ties in Hickory (N.C.) Moravian Prep three-star combo guard Isaac Ellis, the brother of current South Carolina freshman Eli Ellis.

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