Xavier Johnson, a point guard from Bishop O'Connell (Virginia) and Nebraska's top 2018 commit, has decommitted from Nebraska and received a release from his letter of intent according to PrepCircuit.com.
Johnson told Prep Circuit that he is still considering Nebraska but wants to step back and re-evaluate his options following assistant coach Kenya Hunter's departure from Nebraska. Hunter, who accepted an assistant coaching job at UConn under new head coach Dan Hurley, was Johnson's lead recruiter
“Coach Hunter was the person who recruited me and we developed a big bond together that my parents trusted," Johnson said to Prep Circuit. "I feel like I could go to him anytime in Nebraska when my parents wouldn’t be there.”
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound lead guard was named player of the year in his conference in Virginia following a strong senior season. Past honorees include Markelle Fultz, the top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, and Melo Trimble, the former Maryland standout.
Prior to choosing the Huskers in September, Johnson cut his list down to the Huskers, Gergetown and Georgia Tech. Expect UConn to be on his new list.
With Glynn Watson Jr. heading into his senior year and Thomas Allen showing more combo than lead guard traits as a freshman this season, point guard was a big need for the Huskers in this recruiting cycle. Johnson was expected to compete for immediate playing time as a true freshman.
Johnson's decommitment leaves Nebraska with three open scholarships to use, although juniors James Palmer Jr. and Isaac Copeland are both testing the NBA waters and could choose to forgo theor final year of eligibility.
Platteview center Brady Heiman and Montverde Academy wing Karrington Davis remain as 2018 signees for the Huskers after Davis sent in his letter of intent on Wednesday.
Jacob Padilla has been writing for Hail Varsity since 2015. He covers football, volleyball men’s basketball and prep sports. He also co-hosts the Nebraska Preps Postgame and Nebraska Shootaround podcasts for the Hurrdat Media and Hail Varsity podcast networks. His love of basketball can best be described as an obsession and if you need to find him, he’s probably in a gym somewhere watching, coaching or playing hoops.
