This past offseason, the UWGB men’s basketball team landed one of its most highly rated prospects in program history with guard Jeremiah Johnson.
Johnson, a three-star recruit, was the No. 13-ranked point guard in the class of 2024 on 247Sports. The highly recruited prospect de-committed from Oklahoma State in May of this year before deciding to come to UWGB as he felt it was the best fit.
Johnson was born in Del City, Oklahoma, and lived in the state until his junior year of high school. As a child, Johnson remembers first playing basketball outside with his friends before his father, a former Texas State player, signed him up for a YMCA league. Johnson continued to play more competitively as he grew older but felt that he didn’t really start to rise above his peers until his freshman year of high school. “I was never really physically gifted at a young age. I also didn’t understand the importance of hard work and stuff like that,” said Johnson.
In his freshman season at Putnam City North in Oklahoma, Johnson averaged 18 points per game on the varsity. He felt that his game really started to elevate when he played for Bradley Beal’s AAU basketball team in the Nike EYBL Circuit. This breakout season happened to be during 2020, so the COVID-19 pandemic limited the teams’ activity and also didn’t allow fans to watch games. The team wasn’t able to compete in the largest AAU event of the year, the Nike Peach Jam, which Johnson felt would have increased his exposure and player ranking as well. After that summer, Johnson was ranked as the 16th-best player in his class in the country. “That year is for sure when it set into my head like, ‘Yeah, I’m starting to figure it all out,’ my body started coming along, and I was really starting to understand the importance of hard work and sacrifices,” Johnson stated.
The now top-ranked guard began receiving offers and interest from Power 5 schools such as Kansas, West Virginia, Purdue, and Kentucky. Things were looking good for Johnson as he began his sophomore year at Putnam City North, but tragedy struck in February of 2021, which would drastically change his basketball future. Johnson was outside playing basketball with some friends when a fight broke out between a group of people down the street. Before he knew it, he was shot twice from behind, paralyzed, and brought to the hospital, not being able to move at all. Doctors told Johnson that he wouldn’t be paralyzed forever, but it might be three to four years before he walks again. “I’m like dang, by that time I’m going to be graduated, so basketball might be over with,” Johnson stated.
As time went by, Johnson started to recover at an exceedingly high rate compared to what doctors had expected. After a couple of weeks, he started to regain feeling in his torso and legs, and a couple of months later, he was able to walk with crutches. His doctors stated, “Your recovery is going extremely fast, so whatever you’re doing, or whatever is happening, we just hope that it keeps happening.” In the following months, Johnson gained the ability to dunk again and continued to progress from jogging and moving around to eventually playing basketball again.
Following the shooting, Johnson began to lose college scholarship offers as coaches didn’t know whether he would ever be the same again. He understood the decision made by these coaches because it would be safer for them to give offers to student-athletes who were healthy and able to compete. “People really started thinking that I wouldn’t play anymore or that I wouldn’t play for a long time,” said Johnson.
Johnson returned to the court for his junior season at a different school in Oklahoma but hadn’t fully recovered yet. He later transferred to Wasatch Academy, a prep school in Mount Pleasant, Utah. Johnson believed transferring to a prep school was the best option to elevate his game and attract college recruiters. He chose to attend Wasatch Academy over IMG Academy in Florida. “I felt like Coach Paul was somebody that I knew I could have a personal relationship with, and I knew that he was going to push me and let me do what I needed to do and showcase what I needed to showcase,” Johnson added.
The following season, Johnson played at Phoenix Prep in Arizona, part of the Overtime Elite League, a developmental league for players aged 16-20. The league allows players to get paid while preparing for the next level and maintaining NCAA eligibility. The league sent two players directly to the NBA as first-round picks in 2023 when twin brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson got drafted 4th and 5th overall to the Rockets and Pistons.
This trendsetting league was started in 2021 to serve as an alternative option for players who didn’t want to play college basketball. While initially met with skepticism, it has become a top destination for elite high school prospects around the world. Johnson played for the Diamond Doves based in Arizona and felt that the league did a good job of teaching him how to become a professional. His team played 60 games across the country over the season, and he had to learn how to recover and manage time between practices, games, and schoolwork. “It was just another opportunity to showcase my abilities, and I was able to play against some of the best players in the world,” said Johnson.
The league also offers additional training for players to learn how to grow their online brand and build a positive public image. Johnson mentioned that players have opportunities to work with brands such as Adidas for photoshoots and that many of the brands that Overtime partners with are also available to partner with the players. “Overtime Elite teaches you that social media can either make you lots of money or no money at all. How you’re viewed by the outside world and how you market yourself is very important. How you treat others outside of basketball matters. If a kid wants to take a picture, then take the picture and give them a high five,” said Johnson. He went on to average 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game while playing against some of the top-ranked players in the country. He was even featured in a documentary series called “One Shot: Overtime Elite,” which was released on Amazon Prime Video this past October.
This past May, Johnson played for another viral high school team in Oklahoma when he joined basketball content creator Cam Wilder’s AAU team, Rod Wave Elite. Cam Wilder has gained millions of followers across his social media platforms and went viral two years ago after forming his first AAU team. What began as a small team turned into a massive online movement, with Wilder recruiting top-ranked prospects for tournaments across the U.S. every summer. The team consistently draws thousands of fans to tournaments, and videos of their games receive millions of views on YouTube.
Johnson built a relationship with Wilder after he played against his team at Overtime Elite and impressed him with his performances. “He gained some respect for me and told me I was one of his favorite players in the league. Then, once he had posted on social media asking which state he should come to with RWE, I told him to come to Oklahoma,” said Johnson.
The freshman guard committed to UWGB on June 17th this year after being recruited by coach Gottlieb. Johnson and Gottlieb’s relationship began through their connection at Oklahoma State, where Gottlieb played from 1997 to 2000.
Johnson stays on the campus at UWGB and prioritizes getting lots of rest on days off. He stated, “One of the best ways I personally recover is by sleeping. It helps me clear my mind, or stress, or whatever I might be dealing with.” On recovery days, he likes to watch movies and get food, sometimes at “Iron Duck” in Howard, which coach Gottlieb introduced him to. Along with rest, he also remains active by taking walks, stretching, taking ice baths, and seeing the team trainer.
Outside of basketball, Johnson hasn’t had much time to explore the city as he doesn’t have a car with him, and he has a heavier course load as a freshman. He is undecided on his major but is leaning towards a degree in communications. “It’s too cold to be doing anything extracurricular, and plus, a lot of our days, we’re just in the gym. On my days off, I really try to get my classes situated, so whenever we have days with multiple practices or have games, then I don’t have anything to worry about,” said Johnson.
Despite the team’s slow start to the season, Johnson still hopes to win the conference and make the March Madness tournament. He wants to earn freshman of the year in the conference and hopes that as an individual and as a team, they can continue to get one percent better every day by “controlling what they can control.”
Senior guard and teammate Anthony Roy reflected on his time playing with Johnson so far.
“Playing with JJ is like playing with a younger version of myself. He puts the ball in the basket, and I’m excited to see his growth throughout the year,” said Roy.
