Marquette building strong recruiting class
By Reggie Rankin
"Another ESPN 100 prospect is off the board and headed to play in the Big East as No. 63 overall prospect JaJuan Johnson (Memphis, Tenn./Southwind) committed to Marquette on Thursday over Alabama and Miami.
"Marquette is a very good program and I have a great relationship with coach Buzz (Williams) and coach Chew (assistant coach Isaac Chew," said Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound shooting guard.
"The coaching staff did a great job of building a relationship with my whole family, not just me," he added.
Johnson was very much aware of the recruiting class the Golden Eagles already had in place -- now ranked No. 8 in the 2013 class by ESPN -- and that was also a factor in his decision.
"To win, I had to come in with a good class, and I really like this class," Johnson said.
With good reason. In addition to Johnson, the Golden Eagles have two other ESPN 100 prospects on board: small forward Deonte Burton (Milwaukee/Vincent) and point guard Duane Wilson (Milwaukee/Dominican), who are ranked No. 41 and No. 56, respectively, in the Class of 2013.
Rounding out Marquette's class are three-star point guard John Dawson (Clovis, N.M./Clovis) and another local product by way of junior college in power forward Jameel McKay (Milwaukee/Indian Hills Community College).
Each member of the class has the talent and basketball IQ to contribute to the program right away and help Marquette maintain its winning ways.
The future of Marquette basketball is extremely bright. These players will fit in nicely the way Williams likes to play: tough and competitive in every phase of the game. Wilson and Dawson can both excel on and off the ball at the guard positions, while Burton and Johnson will complement each other on the wings.
Burton attacks the rim and finishes with power; he plays much bigger than he is. Johnson will give Marquette a long wing with a sweet shooting stroke and a variety of ways to score. McKay, meanwhile, is long, athletic and active and an excellent rebounder and finisher.
Williams will have toughness and versatility with this class, which will allow the Golden Eagles to score off their pressure man defense, excel on the break, create matchup problems in the halfcourt and have playmakers for end-of-clock situations.
"I thought Marquette was the best decision for me to get to my ultimate goal, which is to win and prepare for the (NBA)," Johnson said.
The Bradley Center will be rocking when these young thoroughbreds hit the court to show off their talent next season."
JaJuan Johnson chooses Marquette
By Dave Telep
"JaJuan Johnson (Memphis, Tenn./Southwind), the No. 63 prospect in the Class of 2013, committed to Marquette on Friday. Johnson, the nephew of current NBA shooting guard Louis Williams, had narrowed his choices to the Golden Eagles, Alabama and Miami (Fla.) before making a decision.
According to his mother, the act of eliminating schools was more difficult than the selection itself.
"We had some great schools and great relationships with schools," Frashanda Williams said. "Eventually we had to tell someone no."
As a junior, the current No. 17 shooting guard was an all-state selection in Tennessee and averaged 27 points per game. For his AAU team, Bluff City Legends, Johnson scored 18 points a game during the summer.
"I think JaJuan is a very good scorer," Bluff City Legends coach Dujuan Taylor said. "He's the type of kid that needs to be a guy who has the ball in his hands. He knows how to manufacture points. He can get his own shot off."
Coach Buzz Williams is sitting on a recruiting class talented enough to insure his Golden Eagles remain an upper-echelon program in the Big East. In addition to three ESPN 100 seniors, the Golden Eagles have landed Jameel McKay (Milwaukee/Indian Hills C.C.), one of the nation's best junior college players. Williams also added sleeper wing John Dawson from Clovis, N.M.
Point guard Duane Wilson (Milwaukee/Dominican) and small forward Deonte Burton (Milwaukee/Vincent) join Johnson as 2013 committed wing players and members of the ESPN 100. Marquette's class moves up to No. 8 in class rankings as a result of Johnson's committment."
Thanks for posting!