The Recruiting Guy

Oklahoman likes being priority

Jeremiah Johnson

ESPN 4-star junior point guard Jeremiah Johnson will be making his third visit to the University of Arkansas when he attends the Hogs’ game against West Virginia on Saturday.

“I can’t wait to come down there, especially just to see how their team has gotten better throughout the season and see and talk to the coaches a little bit,” Johnson said.

Johnson, 6-3, 165 pounds, of North Norman (Okla.) High School has scholarship offers from schools like Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Illinois, Texas, Tulsa, Texas Tech and two others.

He and his father, Jeremy, a North Norman basketball assistant, visited Fayetteville on Sept. 18 and was able to experience the atmosphere at the Georgia Southern football game.

The Johnsons also visited the Hogs for the Red-White game on Oct. 17. He said he communicates with Coach Eric Musselman and everyone else on his staff, including exchanging text messages with recruiting coordinator Ronnie Brewer Jr.

“I’ve been hearing from everybody on the coaching staff almost, if not everyday, at least every other day,” Johnson said. “They text me before the game after the games. They let me know when they have a game. So they talk about anything and everything, and if I have a question all of them help me.

“That just shows me they’re very, very interested me and just want me to feel like I’m prioritized.”

Johnson, who has also visited Kansas, Oklahoma State and Tulsa since the fall, is averaging 20.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists a game this season. Feeling like a priority by Arkansas is big to him.

“That’s the biggest thing because I want to know if I was to choose that school that I’m going to be a priority on and off the court,” he said. “With them showing how much they care, I know it’s bigger than basketball.”

He said Arkansas’ training and nutrition programs along with intensity of practices are a few other things that standout to Johnson.

“The practices are more like a pro practice especially because Coach Muss has been on the NBA level, so he knows how it is and how NBA teams practice,” Johnson said.

He expects to play point guard in college but he believes he’s able to the other guard spot.

“But also I can play off the ball, so I probably be like a combo guard it depends on who all have come to the school by the time I get there, if I was to go there,” Johnson said.

Johnson is planning to use an official visit to Arkansas.

“Oh yeah, definitely that’s the plan,” Johnson said. “We just have to see how it works out. Hopefully this summer.”

His college decision will likely come later in the summer.

“I want to make a decision after AAU ball,” Johnson said.