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Two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for Ohio, Marcus Johnson, has proven himself during his high school career. He is coming to Ohio State in 2026 and has even drawn comparisons to NBA superstar James Harden due to his playing style.
On Thursday, High-Level Media Sports featured the four-star point guard in an Instagram post showcasing Marcus Johnson's high school highlights, emphasizing comparisons to James Harden.
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"Averaged 23 PPG last season — lefty bucket like James Harden 💰 Crafty. Shifty. Unstoppable at all 3 levels. Smooth touch around the rim, elite shot creator 🎯," said the Instagram page.
This comparison with the NBA All-Star has gotten a lot of fans talking.
"People finally starting to wake up🔥," one commenter stated.
"I said this on a different post and somebody told me it wasn't valid because he wasn't shaped like Harden or he wasn't his height or weight🤦🏾♂️," another commenter pointed out.
"Woahhll not mvp harden probably clippers harden fs," one person added.
Even more people agreed, although some were not buying the comparisons.
"Definitely 💯💯💯💯💯," said one person who agreed.
"Childs play 😂 he not even trying fr." another person added.
"Don’t confuse how a high school player vs a nba player hoops that’s insane I know what yall mean but cmon now calm down harden at his age in aau avg 43 ppg put that in perspective," one doubter pointed out.
In his junior year. Marcus Johnson led the Garfield Heights Bulldogs to a 22-2 record and a spot in Ohio's Division III state semifinals. He averaged 29.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals. ESPN ranks him as the No. 22 prospect from the Class of 2026.
Marcus Johnson already has plenty of accolades before even turning senior
While he is yet to begin his senior year in the fall, Ohio State commit Marcus Johnson has proven to be one of the best high school players in Ohio. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for his state twice in a row, as well as being named the Ohio Mr. Basketball back in March.
Johnson earned First Team All-Ohio honors twice and surprised many by committing to Ohio State after his junior season. The 6-foot-2 guard remains in the Class of 2026, meaning he won't join the Buckeyes just yet.
