Five-star Class of 2023 guard AJ Johnson, a long-time Texas commit who signed with the Longhorns last fall as a possible one-and-done lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has decommitted from the Longhorns and signed a deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the Australian NBL.
"The college environment is a bit more controlled and about X's and O's and not as much about playing off of feel and freedom," Johnson told 247Sports. "I feel like I thrive in more of an up and down system, getting up more shots and playing off feel but you are also still playing off of actions and stuff like that. I also want to get started on my professional career and taking it more serious so that I can really lock in on the game and try to be the best player I can be."
Johnson, a 6-foot-5 combo guard from California, rates as the No. 15 player in his class and the No. 1 player in the state, according to 247Sports. He was one of two five-star, top-15 commits for Texas in the 2023 class alongside top-10 prospect Ron Holland, both of whom comprised what was one of the most star-studded 1-2 combos of incoming freshmen in the sport next season. Holland now stands as the sole commitment for UT in its 2023 class.
Given the changing landscape for athletes to capitalize off their name, image and likeness at the college level, many top prospects have steered away from playing overseas or stateside in professional venues even as the likes of the NBL, which has a Rising Star program, and the G League Ignite and Overtime Elite have continued to operate successfully. In fact, Johnson is the first American to join the NBL's Next Star program since LaMelo Ball did so in 2019-20, using his development in that span to become the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Texas' success, or lack thereof, in developing top-end talents may also be a factor in Johnson's surprising decision for a professional pursuit elsewhere. Five-star prospect Dillon Mitchell, who last year was a top-five player in his class, failed to fully meet expectations as a clear one-and-done lottery type, projecting now as a late first-rounder. Fellow five-star signee Arterio Morris in the same class recently entered the transfer portal. That continues what has been a slightly underwhelming track record for Texas after five-star 2020 signee Greg Brown went one-and-done and was drafted in the middle of the 2021 second round.
