Your 2011 Pitt basketball recruiting class has an abundance of Johnsons with Durand Johnson joining the John Johnson and Jaylen Bond.
“Pitt,” said Johnson of his choice. “It was the perfect fit for me.”
Johnson chose Pitt over Marquette, Louisville, St. John’s and Seton Hall. Johnson visited Pitt last fall and they have b.een his leader ever since.
“It was just a family to me,” Johnson said. “They showed me a lot of love. It’s a great fit all around for me.”
While Durand Johnson is ranked as a 3-star recruit by both Scout.com and Rivals.com, there is no shortage of recruitniks raving about him.
“First of all, the guy does one thing at an extremely high level: he scores,” said Scout.com analyst Dave Telep. “And because he has been underappreciated, he has this constant chip on his shoulder. And to me, that almost defines what Pittsburgh guys are. I think Durand Johnson will have a pretty good college career. He’s a junkyard dog, exactly the kind of talent they like.”
Telep said Johnson’s size and versatility will allow him to play either shooting guard or small forward in college. He should have no trouble defending either position, and “he flat-out knows how to score.” Hoopmasters.com analyst Van Coleman acknowledged that Johnson needs to add strength during his time at Brewster, but his athleticism and competitiveness should serve him well right from the start.
“He’s an excellent shooter and he’s a big kid who can put it on the floor,” Coleman said. “He can play the 2/3 and can guard the 2, 3 and 4 positions. He’s a quick competitor who can really shoot the basketball. He came out in the middle of the summer and shot the ball. So I think you’re going to see him in a lot of Top 100 lists when they’re done in a couple weeks.”
ESPN.com’s recruiting people also like him (Insider subs) — even if they don’t know who the Coach of Pitt is.
ESPN.com Recruiting Coordinator Reggie Rankin raved about Johnson following his performance at the West Virginia JamFest in July.
“Durand was one of the top shooting guards at the event and he’s one of the best in his class,” Rankin said. “He has tremendous size for the 2 and he’s long and athletic. He can stroke it effortlessly out to 3 as well as take it to the hoop and finish.
“He’s also got that Baltimore toughness and competitiveness to him,” Rankin added.
Rankin eyes a tremendous fit for the Panthers and head coach Jamie Wright.
“What an outstanding get for coach Wright and his staff. Durand is one of those guys that can fill it up quickly and once he gets on a roll he’s tough to stop. Panther fans will really like this kid.”
What’s interesting is in the ESPN.com profile, he is listed as the 39th ranked shooting guard, but the actual scouting report says: “A top 10 SG that is receiving high major conference looks after reclassifying.”
Originally expected to be a 2010 class recruit, Johnson will be attending Brewster Prep in New Hampshire. That may account for the discrepancy in his ranking versus the raving.
At 6-6 (or 6-7), Johnson will be something of a match-up nightmare on the perimeter. Especially with a stroke that everyone is raving about. The Baltimore area native was pursued by schools that include Louisville, Georgetown and Xavier. Assistant Coach Brandin Knight helped reel him into Pitt.
Unless there is a transfer or something really surprising, this fills Pitt’s scholarship slots for 2011. Three seniors to depart — McGhee, Wanamaker and Brown.
