Sleeper Watch: Kobe Johnson (WI 2021)

Kobe Johnson- 6' 2021 PG, Sun Prairie (WI), Phenom U

Part of a loaded 2021 class in Wisconsin, Kobe Johnson is seemingly overshadowed by the nationally ranked Patrick Baldwin and Michael Foster, as well as a plethora of other likely division one prospects. But don't sleep on Kobe for long. The 6' point guard has the talent, work ethic, and potential to make a name for himself. He comes from a basketball family with a lot of height, and with Kobe's wingspan it appears that a growth spurt could be in his future. Although I have only watched Kobe play once, he put in an impressive performance with Phenom University's 15u squad.

Kobe was running the point for a 15u squad considered to be one of the top 25 teams in the country in Phenom U, and he handled the position with poise. He proved that he could score in multiple ways, but never seemed to be forcing anything. He knew what shots he could make, and he knew how to get them off cleanly and efficiently. One of Kobe's most impressive moves was his step back jumper. He utilized this both from mid-range and from beyond the arc, creating a lot of separation to get up an open shot. He waits until he notices his defender is over-pursuing too far in one direction, and quickly crosses over into a step back. He was good at reading his defender's body position to know when to effectively use this move.

While Kobe did a lot of his scoring from the perimeter, he also showed great patience on the occasions that he drove to the hoop. He never rushed or forced anything, and had great decision making on whether to dish the ball to a teammate or take it to the hoop himself. Kobe also showed great court vision, throwing full court dimes multiple times to create easy layups for his teammates. On the defensive end, Kobe uses his long arms to disrupt passing lanes and block shots. He still has room to grow athletically, which could increase his defensive effectiveness even more.

Kobe saw limited minutes on varsity for Sun Prairie as a freshman, but should see increased playing time as a sophomore, forming a solid backcourt alongside his brother Jalen. He is a high potential player with his solid skillset and possible growth spurt looming in his future. If Kobe grows to even 6'3-6'4, he'll be causing a lot of trouble in the state of Wisconsin, as he already has the tools to be a dangerous point guard in the future.