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Following in father's footsteps, Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson named Mr. Basketball
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- Following in father's footsteps, Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson named Mr. Basketball
Marcus Johnson won't be the first Ohio Mr. Basketball to eventually suit up for Ohio State, or even the first one from his family.
Johnson, a 6-foot-2 junior guard from Garfield Heights who has committed to the Buckeyes in the 2026 class , has taken Ohio's top individual honor after the 2024-25 season. At Garfield Heights, Johnson was coached by his father, Sonny, who won the award at the same school in 1998.
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They are the first father-son combo to win the award. Last year, Marcus Johnson was a finalist after being named first-team all-Ohio for a second consecutive year. He averaged 29.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game this season.
Garfield Heights' Marcus Johnson (right) covers up a rebound as Louisville's Ashton Marshall defends during a Division III state semifinal on March 16.
Johnson will be presented with the award during the Division IV title game Friday at University of Dayton Arena. Garfield Heights' title hopes ended with a 49-48 loss in the Division III semifinals, a game during which Johnson scored 25 points through three quarters before having to miss time in the fourth after a hard fall. In three years, Garfield Heights is 72-9 with Sonny Johnson in charge and his son at the point.
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Johnson is a four-star prospect ranked No. 29 nationally in the 247Sports.com composite. He committed to the Buckeyes last April. He is cousins with Meechie Johnson, who transferred back to Ohio State for 2024-25, played 10 games and then stepped away from the team for what have been described as personal reasons.
Although he is a member of the 2026 class, Marcus Johnson could potentially graduate early and enroll at Ohio State for the upcoming season.
He is the third straight Ohio Mr. Basketball to be committed to Ohio State. The last two winners are in the program: Ottawa-Glandorf's Colin White (2024) and Pickerington Central's Devin Royal (2023). Fourteen players to earn the honor have gone on to play for the Buckeyes.
Mr. Basketball is presented by the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Future Ohio State guard Marcus Johnson named Ohio Mr. Basketball
