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Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson, father Sonny share special Ohio Mr. Basketball legacy
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- Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson, father Sonny share special Ohio Mr. Basketball legacy
The news came via a text message from Garfield Heights athletic director John Townsend. Boys basketball coach Sonny Johnson was at home when he got the news, called his son Marcus into the room and read him the message.
After a standout junior season with the Bulldogs, Marcus Johnson had been named Ohio Mr. Basketball. It put the youngster in rare air when it comes to Ohio basketball history, but in the process it elevated father and son into an exclusive category.
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In 1998, Sonny Johnson brought home the honor while averaging 34.0 points and 17.6 rebounds per game for Garfield Heights. And when his son earned the honor in 2025, it made them the first father-son duo to each earn Ohio Mr. Basketball honors.
A few days after Marcus Johnson was presented with his award at halftime of the Division IV title game inside Dayton's UD Arena on March 21, the uniqueness of the situation was not lost on either of the Johnsons.
"Since I was in high school, my dad always used to tell me that Mr. Basketball is a big thing," Marcus Johnson said. "I used to go play with him and a lot of people would say, 'You're Mr. Basketball from 1998.' It was a dream come true, to be honest. In high school I've always wanted to win that award, knowing how big it was."
The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 29.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals as Garfield Heights, coached by his dad, went 24-3 and took a one-point loss in the Division III semifinals. He broke his dad's single-game scoring record for the Bulldogs, putting up 55 points in a win against Maple Heights.
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In three years of high school ball, Marcus and Sonny Johnson are a combined 72-9.
Garfield Heights' Marcus Johnson (right) covers up a rebound as Louisville's Ashton Marshall defends during a Division III state semifinal on March 16.
"I think for him, just to see him receive the award, it was outstanding," Sonny Johnson said. "I know the hours, the nonstop hours and film study and everything he does preparation-wise to be successful, so it was great seeing him get that."
The younger Johnson was a finalist for the award as a sophomore. Current Ohio State rising freshman Colin White took home the award that year. Since then, Marcus Johnson said he's gotten stronger, put on about 10 pounds and improved his game by spending extra time in the film room. His father said he grew as a leader, becoming a player who makes players around him better while directing the offense with the ball in his hands as a point guard.
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Sonny Johnson played two years at Cleveland State, transferred to Ohio, sat out a year and played two more, averaging 15.2 points per game for the Bobcats. Marcus Johnson has committed to Ohio State for the 2026 class . There's been talk of potentially graduating early, reclassifying and joining the Buckeyes for the 2025-26 season but nothing has been decided yet. He's the No. 21 national recruit in his class according to ESPN, the No. 29 player in the 247Sports.com composite and a consensus four-star prospect.
Garfield Heights coach Sonny Johnson shouts instructions during an OHSAA Division III boys basketball state semifinal vs. Louisville at Canton Memorial Field House on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
"This year has helped me grow as a basketball player, as an athlete, as a leader on the team, to be more vocal," he said. "Communicate more with my coaches and teammates and being a better teammate, being a better player and being able to showcase my scoring ability. I'd have multiple defenses thrown at me, face-guarding, double teams and I was able to handle that through film studies and watching a lot of games. I definitely learned a lot."
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Eventually, the plan is for Marcus Johnson's Mr. Basketball award to be displayed somewhere inside the family home. Sonny Johnson joked that it'll probably be in a more prominent place than the one he won 27 years ago, but he's fine with that.
Here's the real question, though. In a one-on-one battle between Sonny Johnson of 1998 and Marcus Johnson of 2025, who would win?
"I think I would beat him, for sure," Marcus Johnson said. "My dad was a really good player for sure, I but I definitely think I would beat him."
The words were hardly out of his mouth when Sonny Johnson replied, "You can't beat me. He definitely can't beat me. I wouldn't stand for that. I would have to kick over my son before I let him win."
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Spoken like a true competitor – and the father of another one.
Ohio State men's basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @ cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @ AdamJardy .
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 'Dream come true' as Marcus Johnson wins Ohio Mr. Basketball like dad
