Eric Boggs
Ohio State basketball’s 2026 recruiting class took an unexpected hit this week as Marcus Johnson, one of the state’s premier prospects, announced his decommitment from the Buckeyes. The Garfield Heights star, who became the first player to commit to Jake Diebler after his promotion to full-time head coach in April 2024, backed off his pledge on Monday—just six days after Ohio State added five-star forward Anthony Thompson to the same class.
Johnson’s decision leaves Ohio State with two remaining 2026 commits: Thompson and four-star forward Alex Smith. Though his decommitment came just weeks before the November 12 early signing period, Johnson’s family made clear that the Buckeyes remain in consideration moving forward.
Johnson’s father and high school coach, Sonny Johnson, told the Columbus Dispatch that the move was driven by questions about Ohio State’s evolving play style. “When you’ve got somebody who’s non-stop watching you and recruiting you, and he gets the job as an interim and plays a certain style that fits your game, that makes the choice easy,” Sonny explained. “Last year was a different style than what we committed to. We went to practice and a game this year, and it looked pretty good—but we just want to see it. Nothing’s wrong with that.”
The decommitment also carries a personal layer of history for Buckeye fans. Marcus is the cousin of former Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who had two separate stints in Columbus and recently transferred back to South Carolina for his final season of eligibility. The Johnson family has deep ties to the Buckeye State and the Ohio basketball community—Sonny himself was an Ohio Mr. Basketball winner before coaching Marcus at Garfield Heights, where the younger Johnson won the same honor as a junior.
On the court, Johnson’s résumé speaks for itself. As a junior, he averaged 29.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, leading Garfield Heights to the Division III state semifinals. He posted multiple highlight performances, including 38 points in a single half against Avon Lake and a school-record 55 points versus Maple Heights. A year earlier, he averaged 23.1 points per game while helping his team reach the Division I regional championship. Johnson has also been a fixture on the Nike EYBL circuit, where his dynamic scoring and court vision have drawn national attention.
Johnson and his father attended Ohio State’s exhibition win over Ohio this past Sunday, where the Buckeyes’ fast-paced, high-scoring style looked much closer to the tempo that initially attracted him. Whether that performance was enough to keep the Buckeyes in the race remains to be seen, but it’s clear Diebler and his staff will continue their pursuit.
In an era where commitments and decommitments have become part of the recruiting landscape, Johnson’s decision is another reminder of how fluid the process can be. Still, Ohio State’s 2026 class remains in strong shape with two elite in-state forwards already on board—and the door for Marcus Johnson, it seems, isn’t fully closed just yet.
