▁played ▁basketball ▁for ▁four ▁years ▁at ▁East ▁Techn ical ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Cleveland , ▁Ohio . ▁As ▁a ▁fresh man , ▁he ▁scored ▁ 2 7 ▁points ▁and ▁made ▁a ▁game - win ning ▁jump ▁shot ▁with ▁ 3 . 1 ▁seconds ▁left ▁against ▁Lake ▁High ▁School ▁to ▁help ▁his ▁team ▁reach ▁its ▁first ▁state ▁semif inal ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁considered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁fresh man ▁in ▁Ohio . ▁In ▁his ▁junior ▁season , ▁Johnson ▁aver aged ▁ 3 1 . 6 ▁points , ▁ 7 . 4 ▁reb ounds ▁and ▁ 3 . 5 ▁ste als ▁per ▁game , ▁leading ▁East ▁Te ch ▁to ▁its ▁third ▁straight ▁league ▁title ▁and ▁a ▁district ▁semif inal ▁appearance . ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁Cleveland . com ▁Boys ▁Basketball ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁and ▁N ortheast ▁L akes ▁Division ▁II ▁All - D istrict ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁by ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press ▁( AP ). ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Johnson ▁decided ▁to ▁rec lass ify ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁class ▁and ▁for go ▁his ▁senior ▁year . ▁On ▁the ▁Am ateur ▁Athlet ic ▁Union ▁( AA U ) ▁circuit , ▁he ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁King ▁James ▁Sho oting ▁Stars , ▁a ▁team ▁affili ated ▁with ▁NBA ▁player ▁Le B ron ▁James . ▁Johnson ▁was ▁a ▁four - star ▁rec ruit ▁and ▁committed ▁to ▁play ▁college ▁basketball ▁for ▁NC ▁State ▁over ▁offers ▁from ▁Louis ville , ▁Ohio ▁State , ▁Washington