Keon Johnson commits to Tennessee basketball

SHELBYVILLE — Keon Johnson was an under-the-radar college basketball recruit after his sophomore year at the Webb School in Bell Buckle.

Two years later, Johnson is the top men's college basketball prospect in Tennessee for the Class of 2020. And a future Tennessee Vol.

Johnson announced his commitment to Tennessee on Tuesday night in front of his family, friends and basketball coaches in his home church at Bird Street Church of Christ.

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"My story is very different from a lot of players that have had it given to them or handed to them," Johnson said. "I had to work harder and longer than a lot of guys."

Johnson is the top-ranked player for 2020 in Tennessee, according to the 247Sports Composite, and No. 6 shooting guard in the nation. He is the No. 31 overall prospect in the country.

Commitments are nonbinding for the athlete and the school. Johnson can't sign until the Division I early signing period begins Nov. 13.

He picked Tennessee over Ohio State.

Johnson said he's known for the past two months that he was going to Tennessee.

Johnson played for Elite Amateur Basketball, a Nashville-area AAU program, for coach William Belliford the past three summers.

"He took a non-traditional route to getting ranked," said Mark Griffin, an EAB assistant coach who also played at Tennessee from 1985-89. "He went to an independent program like EAB.

"He took the road less traveled. His inspiration was to be the best he could be and improve other players as well. He definitely has a chip on his shoulder. He doesn't back down."

His high school, Webb, is a small Division II-A program located in Bell Buckle, which is most famous for the annual RC Moonpie festival it holds every year.

"My AAU coaches were tremendous through the whole recruitment process," Johnson said. "They showed me the ropes. 

"It was us following them because of their honesty."

Johnson, a two-time Division II-A Mr. Basketball, averaged 24.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.0 steals a year ago for Webb School to help lead it to the DII-A state semifinals.

His AAU coaches pinpoint Johnson's arrival on college coaches' radars late in the summer after his sophomore season.

Belliford said Johnson was mentioned as an up-and-coming player in his first tournament his freshman year. The next year everyone saw that.

"Starting his sophomore year he started to get on everyone's radar," Belliford said. "We played in the Rockytop Classic in Gatlinburg. Tennessee and Auburn offered him that weekend."

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Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.