Kevin Johnson - C - Taft HS - Woodland Hills, CA - SETON HALL

[tweet]http://twitter.com/C2CRecruiting/status/20008550811[/tweet]


Now, this is a kid (along with Grant Jarrett '12, who the staff has also apparently offered) that I thought should land on the staff's radar. He's had some academic issues and family issues, but he's a rare SoCal wide body (6'9," 240-250) and one of the top ten-fifteen centers, in a weak class for bigs. I spoke with his mentor for a while who's tried to clean up his off the court problems. Johnson sat out last year at Taft (alma mater of Jordan Farmar and Larry Drew II) to improve his academics, but will play this season. Illinois offered early.

[tweet]http://twitter.com/C2CRecruiting/status/20008550811[/tweet]


Now, this is a kid (along with Grant Jarrett '12, who the staff has also apparently offered) that I thought should land on the staff's radar. He's had some academic issues and family issues, but he's a rare SoCal wide body (6'9," 240-250) and one of the top ten-fifteen centers, in a weak class for bigs. I spoke with his mentor for a while who's tried to clean up his off the court problems. Johnson sat out last year at Taft (alma mater of Jordan Farmar and Larry Drew II) to improve his academics, but will play this season. Illinois offered early.

I just we offered, Sleaveless One....  I'm gonna assumed you've seen him in action, right? 

How unclean are his academics, by the way?

How unclean are his academics, by the way?

His mentor said their vastly improved and he expects him to be qualified, but, like Nate Blue, these guys have to be taken with a proverbial grain of salt. It certainly sounded better than JaKarr Sampson's situation, but not as good as Turner's. I heard he's actually an emancipated kid.

I just we offered, Sleaveless One....  I'm gonna assumed you've seen him in action, right? 

Yeah, he played for California Supreme at the EYBL events,  then Pangos, then LBJ, then Fab 48.
He's a space eater with some upside. He'd be a solid big man pickup that could develop into a rotational player and certainly a physical contrast to guys like Sampson and Pelle. In an awkward situation, an aunt of another player, who is also very talented on his AAU team, was very physically aggressive.

[tweet]http://twitter.com/TheRecruitScoop/status/2120373487280128[/tweet]

For those that have bosses that don't permit them to view Twitter,

Top 100 player Kevin Johnson '11, a 6'8 big man from California, has narrowed his list to Illinois, Arizona State, USC and Texas.

FWIW, he was telling some people that he's going to a JuCo next season and, back at the hotel, he told someone trustworthy that he's going to San Diego St.

Out of left field signed with Seton Hall tonight.

http://twitter.com/#!/TheRecruitScoop/status/59051103140052992

Wait, whaaaaat? Interesting get.

If he was going to go that far from home, he may as well have gone a little more east to a good team.

I thought he was prepping.  I remember reading he has a slim chance at qualifying for this year.

No shock here but he was declared ineligible for the entire season.

http://www.zagsblog.com/2011/10/28/seton-halls-johnson-declared-ineligible/

I'm confused as to why some kids don't qualify but stay on campus, while others have to go to prep school.

I'm confused as to why some kids don't qualify but stay on campus, while others have to go to prep school.

I believe that KJ already prepped while 3 St. John's guys just completed their 4th year of high school. Not sure that answers your question exactly but may have something to do with it.

I'm confused as to why some kids don't qualify but stay on campus, while others have to go to prep school.

I also am confused.  I thought if you don't qualify academicially, your scholarship can't be funded....I'm assuming Seton Hall isn't cheap if you have to pay your own way....

Quote from: simplyred on October 30, 2011, 03:19:00 PM

I'm confused as to why some kids don't qualify but stay on campus, while others have to go to prep school.

I also am confused.  I thought if you don't qualify academicially, your scholarship can't be funded....I'm assuming Seton Hall isn't cheap if you have to pay your own way....

I believe the BE rules are they allow for NCAA exceptions.  In other words the NCAA has different classifications of non-qualifiers.  A true non-qualifier is unable to be on scholarship for his/her 1st year.  That player is TOTALLY ineligible at a Big East school.  Period.

The NCAA has given a sort of dispensation to Johnson by allowing him to stay on scholarship.  That exception is also allowed by the Big East I'm told.  This sort of exception is commonly referred to as partial qualifiers but that term is no longer used by the NCAA nor does the Big East recognize that term even though they allow these kids.

Rob Thomas is an example of this. 

He is allowed to stay on scholarship but cannot practice or even participate in workouts with the coaches for 1 full year (