Kobe Johnson
{{Short description|American basketball player (born 2003)}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Kobe Johnson
| image =
| caption =
| number = 0
| team = UCLA Bruins
| league = Big Ten Conference
| position = Point guard / shooting guard
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 6
| weight_lbs = 200
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|1|15}}
| birth_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
| high_school =
| college =
| highlights =
}}
Kobe Johnson (born January 15, 2003) is an American college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins of the Big Ten Conference. He previously played for the USC Trojans.
Early life and high school
Johnson grew up in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and initially attended Sun Prairie High School.{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/high-schools/2018/07/29/sun-prairie-guard-jalen-johnson-transferring-nicolet/861319002/|title=Sun Prairie guard Jalen Johnson transferring to Nicolet|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=July 29, 2018|access-date=November 27, 2023}} He transferred to Nicolet High School after his freshman year.{{cite web|url=https://madison.com/sports/college/basketball/men/milwaukee-native-kobe-johnson-wanted-to-prove-himself-against-wisconsin/video_338cde71-5386-5a3b-aaa0-215cd4223879.html?mode=comments|title=Milwaukee native Kobe Johnson wanted to prove himself against Wisconsin|work=Wisconsin State Journal|date=November 25, 2022|access-date=November 27, 2023}} As a junior, Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.1 steals per game.{{cite web|url=https://usc.rivals.com/news/usc-basketball-lands-a-commitment-from-2021-sf-kobe-johnson|title=USC basketball lands a commitment from 2021 SF Kobe Johnson|first=Ryan|last=Young|website=Rivals.com|date=September 3, 2020|access-date=November 27, 2023}} He averaged 26.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game during his senior season.{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/high-schools/2021/03/24/milwaukee-journal-sentinels-2021-all-area-boys-basketball-team/6963304002/|title=All-area boys basketball|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=March 24, 2021|access-date=November 27, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/usc/longformarticle/usc-basketball-feature-kobe-johnson-pac-12-best-defender-jalen-johnson-younger-brother-making-name-205423611/|title='He's arrived': Kobe Johnson's renaissance and how he's making a name for himself|first=Adam|last=Jasper|website=247Sports.com|date=February 28, 2023|access-date=November 27, 2023}} Johnson committed to play college basketball at USC over offers from Colorado State, California, Elon, and Kansas State.{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/high-schools/2020/09/03/recruiting-nicolet-point-guard-kobe-johnson-commits-usc/5708916002/|title=Recruiting: Nicolet point guard Kobe Johnson commits to USC|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=September 3, 2020|access-date=November 26, 2023}}
College career
Johnson played in 27 games during his freshman season with the USC Trojans, averaging 1.2 points and one rebound per game.{{cite web|url=https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/2023/11/01/college-basketball-expert-evaluates-kobe-johnson-before-usc-season-begins/|title=College basketball expert evaluates Kobe Johnson before USC season begins|first=Matt|last=Wadleigh|website=Trojans Wire|publisher=USA Today|date=November 1, 2023|access-date=November 27, 2023}} He became a starter as a sophomore and averaged 9.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while also being named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Defensive team.{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/usc/basketball/usc-basketball-trojan-upperclassman-explains-strategy-that-made-him-pac-12-all-defense-selection-jz2001|title=USC Basketball: Trojan Upperclassman Explains Strategy That Made Him Pac-12 All-Defense Selection|first=Jacob|last=Zinder|website=SI.com|date=August 6, 2023|access-date=November 27, 2023}} Johnson repeated as a Pac-12 All-Defensive team selection as a junior while averaging 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2024/03/22/uscs-kobe-johnson-entering-transfer-portal-will-test-nba-draft/|title=USC's Kobe Johnson entering transfer portal, will test NBA draft|first=Luce|last=Evans|work=The Orange County Register|date=March 22, 2024|access-date=April 17, 2024}} After the season, he entered the NCAA transfer portal.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/saint-josephs/article/college-basketball-transfer-portal-kobe-johnson-usc--229000469/|title=USC wing Kobe Johnson will hit the transfer portal|first=Brandon|last=Jenkins|website=247Sports.com|date=March 22, 2024|access-date=April 17, 2024}}
Johnson transferred to the UCLA Bruins, the Trojan's crosstown rival.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-04 |title=Johnson transferring from USC to rival UCLA |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39875068/usc-guard-kobe-johnson-says-transferring-rival-ucla |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
Personal life
Johnson's older brother, Jalen Johnson, plays for the Atlanta Hawks of National Basketball Association (NBA).{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/high-schools/2020/08/23/recruiting-nicolets-kobe-johnson-talks-his-top-five-schools/3419321001/|title=Nicolet's Kobe Johnson talks about his top five schools|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=August 23, 2020|access-date=November 27, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://uclabruins.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kobe-johnson/14476 UCLA Bruins bio]
- [https://usctrojans.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kobe-johnson/15857 USC Trojans bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Kobe}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Milwaukee