South Carolina MBB lands commitment from key four-star guard target

South Carolina emerged as the school to watch from the moment Cleveland (Ohio) Garfield Heights class of 2026 four-star point guard Marcus Johnson decommitted from Ohio State.

Today, the Gamecocks got to the finish line with the nation’s No. 8 point guard when he pledged to Lamont Paris.

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Johnson, the first cousin of South Carolina standout Meechie Johnson, chose the Gamecocks over interest from Indiana, Syracuse, Illinois, USC, Cincinnati, and others, in addition to Ohio State, which he was committed to for months.

The younger Johnson is the No. 48 overall player in the 2026 Rivals Industry Ranking and the No. 8-ranked point guard in the cycle. He is the No. 5 overall player in Ohio per the Rivals150.

While he never took a known visit to the school, Paris and assistants Will Bailey and Carey Rich traveled to Cleveland to meet with Johnson and his family a couple of weeks ago.

He averaged 29.2 points last season, earning his second straight Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year honor.

247Sports has the 6-foot-2, 175-pounder ranked the highest in the point guard rankings, making him the No. 3 player in the country at his position. ESPN is the highest overall, placing him as the No. 28 overall prospect in the 2026 class.

Johnson is the second pledge to the Gamecocks’ class, joining another prospect with family ties in Hickory (N.C.) Moravian Prep three-star combo guard Isaac Ellis, the brother of current South Carolina freshman Eli Ellis.

Johnson’s father, Sonny Johnson, is a basketball legend in the area and coached both his son, Marcus, and nephew, Meechie, at Garfield Heights.

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