On Friday morning, Illinois landed a commitment from class of 2024 forward Morez Johnson. Johnson is the first commitment for the Illini the class of 2024.
"First, I want to thank all the college coaches and programs that have taken the time to build a relation with me and recruit me up to this point," Johnson said in a graphic on his Twitter. "Furthermore, I want to extend a thank you to the Meanstreets coaches and organizations for all you have done and continue to do. Also, I want to thank my high school coaches, Coach Roshawn Russel, Coach Rashay Russel, and the entire staff at St. Rita. ... I want to thank Coach Brad Underwood, Tim Anderson, and the entire Illini staff for believing in me. It has always been a dream of mine to represent my hometown. With that being said, I'm 100% committed."
Johnson hasn't yet received a ranking from Rivals, but is the second-ranked player in the state in the class of 2024, according to Prep Hoops Illinois. He profiles as a sure-fire top-100 player in his class and could potentially be a five-star if he continues to develop. The only player ranked higher than him is his St. Rita teammate James Brown, who also has an Illinois offer.
Johnson is about 6-foot-8 and weighs more than 200-pounds despite being just a high school sophomore. His physical development is something that has made him one of the most sought-after players in Chicago in his class. Johnson has a unique combination of physical gifts at his age to go along with incredible athleticism and a modern skill set that includes an ability to finish at the rim, handle the ball and defend multiple positions.
Johnson plays AAU basketball with Chicago Meanstreets, which is an organization that current Illinois assistant coach Tim Anderson previously coached with before moving to the college game. Johnson took an unofficial visit to Illinois this fall, and according to PrepHoops Illinois wanted to commit to Illinois after his visit, but decided to hold off for a couple of weeks.
Johnson commits to Illinois over offers from Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, Texas, Notre Dame and Ohio State among others.
"I've visited more than a few high-major programs, but the feeling I got when I put on the Illinois jersey was like no other," Johnson said in his graphic. "It's about winning, development and culture. This is home."
