One of the lasting criticisms in the college basketball scouting industry has been that when a prospect fails to impress scouts or coaches, they too often lose out on the chance to redeem themselves. With so many prospects to watch and evaluate, there is a certain level of sense that may make.
However, in the case of four-star big man Jayce Johnson, things went a bit differently.
In many of his initial performances as a young center at Mater Dei in Southern California, Johnson showed flashes of a prospect that could be among the nation’s best. He was fluid athletically, and possessed a natural basketball IQ that coaches and scouts covet. Things turned, later on, and suddenly it looked like Johnson wasn’t the same player. Many times, he simply looked too passive or disinterested to impact the game at a high level.
Over the past year, though, Johnson has made huge strides and become one of the most pursued big men in the country yet again.
He recently cut his list to four schools: California, Colorado, Stanford, and Utah. Notre Dame had previously made his final five but was subsequently cut from consideration.
Each of those schools will be looking for help on the interior in the next year, with graduation and expected NBA departures lining up. The other thing to note about the Pac-12 quartet, is the level of education that each institution offers. Johnson has seen how quickly his basketball fortunes can change, and is no doubt keeping his future beyond the court in mind, as well.
