Mater Dei’s Stanley Johnson, the state’s Mr. Basketball front-runner whose led the Monarchs to three consecutive CIF state titles, chooses Arizona. He college choice is not a big surprise.
Small forward Stanley Johnson of Mater Dei (Santa Ana), the No. 1 ranked boys basketball prospect in the state and the top-ranked 2014 prospect in the nation according to the Hoop Scoop, announced during an early signing period special on ESPNU that he would attend Arizona. Johnson, whose performances during the NCAA summer viewing period vaulted him to the Hoop Scoop’s top spot, chose Arizona over Kentucky and USC.
“I liked everything about the school overall,” Johnson told a national audience. “They have been recruiting me since my freshmen year. I liked the straight up, genuine nature of their coaches. I wanted a feeling of family and that’s what I got with Arizona.”
Another factor in the decision was Johnson’s mother, Karen, who because of health issues told StudentSportsBasketball.com on more than one occasion she was wary of her son attending Kentucky or another school far away from their home in Fullerton, Calif. It would have made it much more difficult for her to see her son play in person.
For more on Johnson’s signing, CLICK HERE.
For more early signing period coverage, please visit StudentSportsBasketball.com
To see where the nation’s Top 100 prospects are headed, CLICK HERE.
Mater Dei will appear on ESPN this year. STORY
