Missouri Tigers
Had I talked about Missouri before the season started, I could say that they’re an up-and-coming program under new coach Dennis Gates, who took the team to the NCAA Tournament last year. Plus, the program currently has a top-3 recruiting class for 2024, with several top-100 commits. However, the team has taken a big step back in the 2023-24 campaign, with an 0-8 record in SEC play.
Still, Johnson can be sold on being the focal point of Missouri Basketball when he would arrive and unlike places like Kentucky and Kansas, wouldn’t have to worry about other star recruits taking shots away from him. That’s the top sell for now but momentum may have taken the Tigers out of this one.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Even after last season’s disastrous campaign, Coach Hubert Davis was still able to get big commitments in the 2024 class like Ian Jackson and Drake Powell. Considering how well things are going this season, it’s going to be even harder to take on the Heels on the recruiting trail.
Star guard RJ Davis will likely be gone after this season, while Elliot Cadeau could leave if he has a big campaign next season. We’ll see what Jackson and Powell do a year from now but as we’ve seen this year, Coach Davis can play three-guard lineups to success. So Johnson wouldn’t have to worry about not having a big role here either.