4-star SG Chris Johnson commits to Kansas Jayhawks, Bill Self

The 2023 recruiting class received its first commitment today when Johnson announced his intentions via Instagram

The Kansas Jayhawks have a loaded roster coming into the 2022 season, with Jalen Wilson returning and Kevin McCullar transferring in to team up with four highly rated recruits. Coming off a national championship in 2022, the team is rightfully one of the favorites to make their way to the Final Four again.

But it's never too early to start thinking about the next crop of recruits to come in to the program. The Jayhawks will have a minimum of two scholarships to fill, with McCullar and super-senior Cam Martin running out of eligilbility. But there is a good chance that at least one or two more will leave the program early. That's why today's commitment was a big deal. 

Chris Johnson, a 6'4", 175 lb shooting guard out of Fort Bend, Texas announced via Instagram Live that he committed to the Jayhawks, joining the 2023 class. He is playing his senior year at Montverde Academy in Florida, and was recruited by numerous programs around the country. According to On3.com, his top 4 schools were Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama and Ole Miss. In the class of 2023, he is ranked No. 24 by ESPN, No. 32 by 247Sports and No. 58 by Rivals.

In an article with JayhawkSlant shortly after his official visit with the Jayhawks, which happened last week, he talked about the connection he has with Kansas Assistant Jeremy Case, who has been the lead recruiter for Johnson: “He’s a real down-to-earth guy. He’s cool, but he lets you know the real. He doesn’t sugarcoat things.”

In his conversation with On3's Jamie Shaw, Johnson talked about the Jayhawks: "It's Kansas. THey have created the blueprint. ... Knowing how much they want me there is a blessing."

With all the talent that Kansas has at the guard position, it might be difficult to see Johnson getting extensive minutes in his freshman season. But he will be given the chance to help fill minutes left by the likely departures of Jalen Wilson and McCullar. With the talent he has shown, it's hard to imagine he'll be kept off the court for long.

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