Back to the Charlotte Hornets Newsfeed

Texas loses 5-star commit A.J. Johnson to professional ranks in Australia

A.J. Johnson, a five-star prospect from Fresno, California, told ESPN on Thursday that he has decommited from Texas and will sign with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League.

Johnson signed a letter of intent in November and was set to begin playing with the Longhorns next season. He has changed course and will instead play professionally in Australia, becoming the highest-ranked prospect to do so since LaMelo Ball during the 2019-20 season.

The 6-foot-5 guard of the Southern California Academy was ranked 15th in the class of 2023 by 247Sports and is considered a potential first-round pick next year.