The Jacobe Johnson Chronicles: 2023 ATH Talks Hoops Lineage, Interest From Michigan
On April 30, Mustang High freshman Jacobe Johnson became the youngest in-state skill position player ever to receive an offer from OU. Throughout his recruitment, SI Sooners will have regular interviews with Johnson and consistent updates as the process plays out.
As the calendar turns to June, it’s officially summer for high schoolers everywhere, including Jacobe Johnson.
Nevertheless, the 2023 Mustang High standout continues to eat, sleep, and breathe sports. As one of the nation’s top prep players in both football and basketball, he’s always working to refine his skills and take his game to the next level.
“I get up, I lift, then I go do some skills stuff,” he said. “Either football or basketball. [Talking to] recruiting coaches from every college that’s offered me. That’s really my whole schedule.”
Johnson maintains close relationships with the staff at both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, but he said a Big Ten powerhouse has also entered the picture. Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines have made Johnson one of their primary targets in the class of 2023.
“[Michigan’s] definitely going to be on my mind a lot,” Johnson said. I’m gonna keep in contact with the coaches. They’re making their way up.”
As for his future on the hardwood, Johnson says he’s still in a holding pattern, waiting for his first college offers to materialize. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard is still growing, making it tough to gauge his eventual physical ceiling.
“I haven’t got offers for basketball yet,” Johnson said. “It’s too early. They don’t really offer freshmen for basketball. That’s what my dad was saying. He knows how it works.”
And indeed, Johnson’s father, Malcolm, certainly knows how it works. He played college hoops at TCU in the late 1990’s, where his coach was none other than the great Billy Tubbs.
And though Malcolm had a distinguished college career, his son looks poised to one-up him. Jacobe is excited to continue playing for Blake Griffin’s squad of elite Oklahoma hoops prospects on the AAU circuit.
“This year, I’m going to play in the EYBL,” Johnson said. “I’ll play against other top players from around the world. So that’s my plan, to play on Team Griffin.”
And as Johnson continues to develop his skills, Sooner Nation most certainly will hope that the dual-sport wonder follows in Griffin’s footsteps and brings his talents to Norman.
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