At the Super 100 event in El Cerrito, Theo Johnson was showcasing his raw athletic skills. The lanky 6-foot-6 and 185 pound junior from Franklin High in Elk Grove was blocking shots, grabbing rebounds above the rim, and easily elevating to put back offensive rebounds. When the season started at the Norcal Tipoff, Johnson was definitely an athlete on display as he was able to run tirelessly back and forth and go high for rebounds and quick putbacks.
As a sophomore last year, Johnson averaged 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists as his Wildcats went 26-6 in the Delta Valley Conference but lost in the playoffs to Oakland High 72-62. For the current season, he wants to average a double-double and be a leader on his team. As far as team goals, he wants to win section and go as far as possible in the state playoffs.
This high flyer considers himself to be a slasher due to his versatility. He is adept at taking the ball to the rim and finishing. However, he considers his best basketball move to be his hook because it is his most consistent move in the post and he can out leap shorter defenders with the shot.
During the offseason, Johnson worked on his shooting and dribbling as he realizes that colleges would recruit him as a small forward even though he plays the interior for Franklin High. This versatility will be useful for his Wildcats. Johnson has been playing organized basketball since the 6th grade and has been on varsity since his sophomore year. This current year will be his first year starting on varsity.
Johnson models his game after Lamar Odom, Chris Bosh, or Kevin Durant because they are all big men with guard skills. Johnson expects to top out at 6-foot-9 and has the athleticism to be proficient in dribbling, passing, shooting, and posting up. If he can get those extra few inches and develop his basketball skills, Johnson would be a matchup problem for many opponents. The physical size and raw skills make Johnson a high potential and high ceiling prospect.
Despite being only a junior, Johnson has been getting contact from some of the west coast programs that include Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, UC Davis, and Pacific. He would like to set his sights on some of the bigger BCS conference schools. As of now, he would prefer to be closer to home but does not want that to limit his college choices. He wants to play in an up-tempo style because he is more adept in the open court and is comfortable with taking the ball to the basket. The climate of the college should be in a nice weather area preferably.
Lengthy T, what his teammates call him, surprisingly did not make his basketball team in the 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. But Johnson has come a long way and will figure to be a critical part of the Wildcats success this year. He will be teamed with the Iroegbu brothers and guard Darin Johnson to make another run at state. During his free time, Johnson listens to music and hangs out with his friends. Expect this Wildcat to be hanging onto the rim many times this season in Elk Grove.
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