Recruiting Profile: Demarquise Johnson
by: Griffin Bennett
Name: Demarquise “Que” Johnson
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 190 lbs.
Position: SG/SF
Class: 2012
Scout Ranking: #28 SF (3 Stars)
ESPN Grade: 91
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
AAU Team(s): Team Eleate
High School Team: Westwind Academy
Schools He’s Considering: Washington, Missouri, Oregon State, UNLV, Colorado, Washington State, and Gonzaga.
If you haven’t seen him, here are a couple decent highlight videos:
What’s his game like?
It’s hard not to make the Terrence Ross comparisons. You watch him play and you immediately notice that he plays at a very fast pace and seems to always be above the rim. He has a very high release point on his jump shot which is very effective considering his length. When driving to the hoop he goes right almost every time. Even when he goes left he finishes with his right hand. It’s a minor thing but it’s something that college teams will be able to exploit. Time for the break down.
- Speed: He seems like another burner who would excel in Romar’s up-tempo style. Great full court speed.
- Quickness: He’s got a very quick first step which gets him great separation. For his size and position he has above average quickness.
- Shot: As I said earlier, he’s got a great high release on his shot and elevates well. The form is always the most important part as that is the hardest part to teach (other than making it). I haven’t seen much of his mid-range game so I’m not going to assume anything. I’d say it’s easily an above average shot.
- Defense: Highlight tapes rarely show defensive plays but some believe that Johnson’s defense is his biggest weakness. Great players have been known to get bored in high school and it seems like Johnson is one of them. He’s got the size and quickness that should translate to good defense. My guess is that Romar and his crew could whip him into shape.
- Passing: I have no idea if he can pass well. He’s more of a pass catcher than thrower.
- Athleticism: The Terrence Ross comparisons should tell you all that you need to know about his athleticism. He is an elite jumper and loves to finish with hard dunks. When he drives to the hoop he uses his strength very well with great body control. In short, he has great athleticism.
- Potential: It doesn’t get much high than Johnson in terms of shooting guard potential. He has the size, speed, shot, and athleticism that can add up to an NBA lottery pick. He still needs to have a more well-rounded game but that only comes with time. If he stays for four years he could easily be an All-League player.
UW’s Chances?
Johnson has been high on Washington for awhile now and UW seems to be one of the leaders. Johnson has said that he is looking for a school with an up-tempo pace that fits his game. He would easily slide into the role that Scott Suggs would leave and if Terrence Ross heads to the NBA early Johnson could be a real contributor next year. He loves Romar and his staff (like everyone on Earth) which is always a good sign. He has already had an unofficial visit to UW as well as Missouri and UNLV. All three of those schools play an up-tempo system that Johnson could fit into nicely. He also has recently scheduled official visits to Gonzaga, UW, and WSU in the upcoming months. The Cougs would be a great fit for Johnson as he would easily play a lot during his Freshman campaign but I don’t see an ideal fit for a Mark Few led Gonzaga team. Oregon State is heavily in the mix as head coach Craig Robinson is trying his best to lure him to Corvallis. I don’t see Johnson falling in love with the Princeton offense any time soon, though. You know I love to speculate so here I go.
UW: 30%
Missouri: 25%
UNLV: 25%
Oregon State: 10%
WSU: 5%
Gonzaga: 2.5%
Colorado: 2.5%
What am I basing this off of? Nothing at all. That’s the beauty of speculation. I think that UW and Missouri are the best fit for his game with UW having more success recently. Homerism might also me playing a part in this evaluation. Johnson is a great talent and I hope that Romar can land him. Bow Down.