NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Where will 2019 four-star forward Isaac Johnson land?

Isaac Johnson is the best class of 2019 prospect in the state of Utah. Will either local program land him or an out-of-state heavyweight pry him away?

The state of Utah has quietly been a consistent pipeline of future quality basketball players over the years. Recent examples include Emmanuel Akot (Arizona), Frank Jackson (Duke), Yoeli Childs (BYU), Koby McEwen (Utah State), and Eric Mika (BYU).

For the 2018 class, three-star Washington Basketball commit Bryan Penn-Johnson is considered the best overall prospect, although there are others likely to make a big impact themselves in the coming seasons.

The 2019 recruiting class in Utah is shaping to be a strong one, with 247sportsComposite currently having five players listed as four-star prospects. At the very top currently in Isaac Johnson, a 6’11 forward/center out of American Fork, Utah.

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Recently going through a growth spurt, Johnson has the shooting and ball-handling abilities of a natural guard, while displaying a developing game inside the paint. While already considered a consensus top-75 player, his growing potential makes the state of Utah prospect a must-get for many programs out west.

However, whichever team that lands him will have to wait until the 2021-22 season to see him play. Johnson is of the Latter-Day Saint (LDS) Mormon faith and plans on taking a two-year mission after his senior year of high school is completed. That’s a tough pill to swallow for teams who could use his talents but at least they’ll have him locked up down the road.

Just recently, Johnson has shortened his list down to six teams – BYU, Gonzaga, Ohio State, USC, Utah, and Stanford. Because all of the rosters will look vastly different in three years, it’s virtually impossible to tell which situation is best for him when it comes to the actual basketball product.

That could give an edge to the local schools – BYU and Utah who both have longtime coaches and have a longstanding history (BYU especially) with LDS athletes. Gonzaga is also a potential favorite, as the Bulldogs have enjoyed 20 years of stability and quality under Mark Few. The success of stretch forwards such as Killian Tillie and Kyle Wiltjer before him could be appealing for Johnson who plays a similar game to them.

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BYU has the most pressure to land Johnson considering his Mormon status. With both Utah and Gonzaga also involved, losing him to a hated rival would be a particular blow to the program, who doesn’t have the same kind of recruiting nets. Johnson may not be the most talented recruit in the 2019 class but may up being the most consequential depending on who he picks.

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