Meechie Johnson Jr.

Demetrius "Meechie" Johnson Jr. (born September 21, 2002) is an American basketball player. He played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes and South Carolina Gamecocks.

Early life and high school Johnson attended Garfield Heights High School. As a junior, he averaged 23 points per game before he tore his ACL. Coming out of high school, Johnson was rated as a four-star recruit, the 14th ranked point guard, and the 76th overall player in the class of 2021. He received offers from schools such as Louisville, Ohio State, Georgetown and Miami. Johnson committed to play college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

College career Ohio State As a freshman in 2020–21 Johnson averaged 1.2 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.2 assists in 17 games. On November 21, 2021, he scored eight points including the game-winning shots to help the Buckeyes upset #21 Seton Hall 79–76. During the 2021–22 season, Johnson averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26 games. After the season, he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. On January 10, 2023, he scored 26 points in a win over Kentucky. In his first season with the Gamecocks, Johnson averaged 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 33 percent from three. He declared for the 2023 NBA draft after the season, but withdrew his name just a few days later.

On March 2, 2024, Johnson scored a team-high 25 points a win over Florida. In the first round of the 2024 NCAA tournament, he scored a team-high 24 points, while also adding three rebounds and assists, in an 87–73 loss to Oregon in the first round. Johnson finished the 2023–24 season starting in 33 games where he averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, as he was named second-team all-SEC and led the Gamecocks to their first tournament appearance since 2017. After the season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Personal life Johnson is close family friends with NBA superstar LeBron James and refers to him as an uncle.