2019 Episcopal G Xavier Johnson talks recruitment, summer and senior season ahead
This spring and summer, Florida is fortunate to have Xavier Johnson playing basketball.
The 2019 Episcopal guard stands at 6’1″, 175-pounder and has decided to suit up for Team Parsons CP25 on the Adidas Circuit.
Holding offers from American, Columbia and most recently George Mason, the strong-willed point guard has made his presence known in the Sunshine State.
“It’s going really well playing with Team Parsons. We are 7-2 on the Adidas Circuit and we qualified for the finale in New York,” Johnson told Prep Hoops. “I’ve learned to better my leadership and run the team to win games. I’ve learned some of the strengths and weaknesses of my teammates and I try to make sure I get them in the best position for them to be successful.”
Johnson has expanded his recruitment in his first year with the program, which has spanned a few months.
On top of his three offers listed above, Johnson also has interest from Denver, Bucknell, UCF, NC State, Yale, Dartmouth, UPenn, Hartford and Army West Point.
Johnson ranks No. 15 overall in the 2019 Virginia rankings.
A contributor since his freshman season at Episcopal, Johnson averaged 15.5 PPG this past season, two points higher than his sophomore output. He also averaged 5.3 APG, netting double digits in all but three games as a junior including games with 25 and 27 points.
Finishing 19-9, the Maroon fell in the VISAA quarterfinal to Bishop O’Connell, 57-56. Johnson served as a team captain for the first time in his career last season.
“Being a captain forced me to actually lead the guys on my team, especially because we had a young group of guys this year. So, I definitely saw confidence in my ability to lead,” Johnson said. “I was also put into situations since I was one of the most experienced on the team where I had to do more in order to help my team be successful, whether that was scoring, rebounding or locking up on defense. I definitely gained confidence in my game all around and my abilities.”
In terms of his biggest strengths, Johnson pointed to his speed and quickness.
“I can really change the pace of the game with those things. Also, I’m a pretty strong guard and get through contact and get to the basket,” he said. “I’m a pass-first guard and want to make sure my teammates in the right position.”
Johnson shot a reliable 34 percent from long distance as a junior, but he says he wants to work on knocking down the 3-pointer on a more consistent basis.
Built with a winning mindset, Johnson is a downhill guard and floor pusher. He doesn’t shy away from competition and his IQ and overall fast legs give him an advantage on set plays or transition basketball. Look for Johnson to make a strong push in July with Team CP25.