GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — Garfield Heights point guard Marcus Johnson has had some easy decisions in his life, playing basketball among them. But on Wednesday, Marcus made a big decision, one that felt right for him and his family—committing to play basketball at The Ohio State University.
The No. 1 ranked basketball player in Ohio and top 25 in the country, Marcus has received offers from more than a dozen schools. From Villanova to Alabama, LSU and Oklahoma, Marcus had plenty of options with schools across the country interested in providing him with scholarships for him to play on their team.
In addition to options, Marcus also had time. Just wrapping up his sophomore year, Marcus still has plenty of time in high school left. But despite the time and options, there was a clear decision, thanks to hometown roots, family ties, and a recent decision at head coach.
"First I want to thank God for this opportunity and this blessing to be able to go to college and pick where I want to go. I want to thank my family—my dad, my mom, my siblings—my trainers, my family's supporters, everybody who's been with me through this journey, I thank them," Marcus said on Wednesday at a special meeting inside Garfield Heights High School. "With that being said, I will be committing to The Ohio State University."
Marcus announced in front of friends and teammates at his school, just before reaching into his bag grabbing an Ohio State hat and placing it on his head and unzipping his jacket to reveal an Ohio State T-shirt.
Ohio State basketball head coach Jake Diebler, appointed head coach after the firing of Chris Holtmann last season, was a major draw for Marcus, who said Diebler had been recruiting him for some time, so seeing him get the head coaching position made it an easy choice.
"JD has been recruiting me at a high level since he had the job as the head coach and the assistant coach so for me and my family, that was really great for us and made us want to commit early," Marcus said.
Another factor was Marcus' cousin, Meechie Johnson, who recently announced his return to Ohio State after transferring to South Carolina. Meechie will be back this season for the scarlet and gray, and while Marcus won't be in college before Meechie is done, now that Marcus is committed to Ohio State, he'll be able to work out with his cousin in Columbus.
"He gets to go up and watch Ohio State games, he gets to go up and work out with his cousin Meechie who's going to be up there, teach him the ropes of what coach Diebler likes," Marcus' dad Sonny Johnson said. "So I think with all that being said, it gives him a jump on the process of what's ahead."
Another reason the Johnson family felt committing early was the right choice was the process that comes with college prep. Not only will Marcus need to continue being a dedicated student, but he'll also now look to ramp up his work on the court to get prepared for college-level hoops. His academics, diet, workout and life will get a jumpstart in what he and his family believe to be an immensely beneficial direction.
"We're trying to prepare now, not just for high school but for college," Sonny said. "That's the highest level, playing in the Big Ten. They're bigger, they're stronger, they're faster. So this preparation, his meal plan, he has to change how he's eating, he has to put on more weight, he has to get quicker, stronger, faster, and also he has to be great in the classroom. The education is a huge part of success so going down there, getting an Ohio State degree is something that is very important also."
Marcus has two more years to get to where he wants to be before he's off to college. But he has decided early where that will be—the school he's always dreamed of attending and playing basketball at. Marcus Johnson has made a dream come true.
"That's my dream school, so getting an offer from my dream school was a blessing. I always wanted to go to Ohio State, I always wanted to be a Buckeye," he said.
Marcus is set to graduate from Garfield Heights in 2026.
