At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today's edition will highlight LJ Johnson of United Faith and Charlotte Royals.
We've seen Johnson continually grow throughout the years, and featured him recently on our 'Get to Know' series, where we stated, 'Folks should already know Johnson at this point, but it's nice to continue seeing the checkpoints throughout his progression. He's been fairly productive over the last two years but has also steadily worked to improve the deficiencies within his game. Johnson is still somewhat wiry but possesses the necessary combination of length, toughness, and athleticism to make up for his lack of strength. He's a well-rounded scorer with the ability to mix it up and continually apply pressure from multiple levels. Johnson loves to attack the basket, especially in transition, and can finish with force or finesse. He's a solid rebounder and quality defender with great anticipation for jumping into passing lanes. Add in his motor and Johnson is a very consistent two-way contributor with IQ and an understanding of how to mesh with any collection of teammates.'
Since then, Johnson has basically been on a tear to prove himself as an asset to various types of college coaches. Even after he started receiving increased attention from opponents, he only continued to stand out as a next-level player throughout the summer season. Johnson is a reliable three-level scorer with length, athleticism, and toughness on both ends of the floor. He plays hard, knows how to disrupt opponents defensively, and understands how to make an impact with or without the ball in his hands. Johnson can operate as a leader or thrive within a role, able to adapt to whatever is for the betterment of the team. He clearly has the ability to succeed at the next level, so it'll be interesting to watch the final stages of his recruitment unfold.