Tre Johnson, nation's top 2024 boys basketball prospect, transferring to Link Academy

Johnson will spend senior season with defending national champions; led Lake Highland to 6A UIL state title in March

Andy Buhler, SBLive Sports | Jun 16, 2023

Tre Johnson, nation's top 2024 boys basketball prospect, transferring to Link Academy /

Lake Highlands (Texas) guard Tre Johnson, the nation's No. 1 high school boys basketball prospect, is joining the defending high school national champions.

The 6-foot-5 Johnson is transferring to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri for his senior season after leading Lake Highlands to a UIL Class 6A Texas state championship in March.

Johnson is a top-three prospect in the class of 2024 according to every major recruiting service and the nation's No. 1 prospect according to ESPN. He has his college choice pared down to six finalists: Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky and Texas.

He boasts elite athleticism, outside shooting and basketball IQ and is the biggest prospect to transfer high schools this offseason.

>> High school basketball transfer portal: Biggest prospects to switch schools in 2023 offseason

In its first two years in existence as a national prep high school power, Link Academy has risen to become the country's top team. The Lions finished first in the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national rankings after winning GEICO Nationals in April.

There is still plenty of offseason ahead, but Johnson will all but ensure the Lions enter the 2023-24 season the preseason No. 1 team in the nation.

Link Academy point guard Elliot Cadeau was set to return, but reclassified from 2024 to 2023 and joined North Carolina early. Link's top prospect in each of its first two years transferred in from Texas — Jordan Walsh (Faith Family) in 2021-22 and Ja'Kobe Walter (McKinney) in 2022-23.

Lake Highlands Beaumont United Texas boys basketball 6A UIL state championship 031123 Tom Dendy 16

Lake Highlands DeSoto Texas boys basketball 6A playoffs UIL state semifinals 031023 Tom Dendy 19 — Photo by Tom Dendy

Lake Highlands DeSoto Texas boys basketball 6A playoffs UIL state semifinals 031023 Tom Dendy 15

Lake Highlands DeSoto Texas boys basketball 6A playoffs UIL state semifinals 031023 Tom Dendy 18

Lake Highlands DeSoto Texas boys basketball 6A playoffs UIL state semifinals 031023 Tom Dendy 5

Lake Highlands Highland Park boys basketball 011723 Brian McLean 29

Lake Highlands Highland Park boys basketball 011723 Brian McLean 16

Tre Johnson Lake Highland Newton 12-16-2022 9 — Photo by Adam Fisher

Tre Johnson Lake Highland Newton 12-16-2022 11 — Photo by Adam Fisher

Tre Johnson Lake Highland Newton 12-16-2022 2 — Photo by Adam Fisher

Published Jun 16, 2023

ANDY BUHLER, SBLIVE SPORTS

Andy Buhler is a Regional Editor of Texas and the national breaking news desk. He brings more than five years of experience covering high school sports across the state of Washington and beyond, where he covered the likes of Paolo Banchero and Tari Eason served on state tournament seeding committees. He works on the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings. He has covered everything from the Final Four, MLS in Atlanta to local velodrome before diving into the world of preps. His bylines can be found in The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington), The Associated Press, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), The Oregonian and more. He holds a degree from Gonzaga and is based out of Portland, Oregon.