Ohio State commits Marcus Johnson, A’mare Bynum put up huge performances to close out 2024

Johnson and Bynum scored a combined 60 points this weekend for their respective schools.

Two Ohio State men’s basketball commits put up massive performances this past weekend, giving fans a sneak peek of what could be when the two lace it up for the scarlet and gray in the not-so-distant future.

A’mare Bynum, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound power forward from Omaha, Nebraska, scored 22 of his team’s 57 points as Link Academy defeated Christopher Columbus High School, 57-49 at the Jordan Holiday Classic on Sunday. Bynum was 5-for-6 from three-point range in the game, as the Lions upset the (at the time) No. 1 team in the country.

Columbus was led by Duke commits Cayden and Cameron Boozer, the twin sons of longtime NBA big man Carlos Boozer. Both Boozers are committed to play at Duke in the fall. Cameron Boozer, the No. 2 player in the 2025 class, finished with 27 points.

Bynum is the No. 103 player in the 2025 recruiting class per the 247Sports composite rankings and committed to Jake Diebler and the Ohio State program in October. He pairs a strong, sturdy frame with a solid three-point stroke, and is expected to be one of the faster rising recruits in the class as his senior season progresses, much like Brice Sensabaugh three years ago.

Four-star guard Marcus Johnson led Garfield Heights to a 74-65 win over nearby Richmond Heights Saturday night, dropping a whopping 38 points – 22 of which came in the fourth quarter.

Johnson is a 6-foot-1, 175 pound guard from Cleveland and is the No. 29 recruit in the 2026 class, per 247Sports composite rankings. He’s also the younger cousin of Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson, and is coached by his father Sonny Johnson at Garfield Heights.

In addition to the 38 points, he also grabbed nine rebounds – finishing one short of a double-double, and recorded four assists in the game. He was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the final eight minutes of the game, and made five three-pointers Saturday night.

2025 Ohio State commit Dorian Jones was supposed to play against Johnson Saturday night, but did not play due to an illness. Jones committed to the Buckeyes in July and is a 6-foot-4, four-star combo guard.

Johnson was the first official recruiting commitment for Jake Diebler as head coach of the Buckeyes, as well as one of the very first members of the 2026 recruiting class to make a college decision. He announced his decision less than four weeks after Ohio State made the Diebler hiring official, becoming the highest-rated commitment for the program since Deshaun Thomas, who was in the 2010 recruiting class.

Johnson is currently the sixth-highest rated four-star recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports.

Bynum should earn minutes as a freshman next year at power forward and potentially some time as a small-ball center. Assuming all players who have eligibility return, he will compete with the likes of Devin Royal, Sean Stewart, and Evan Mahaffey for minutes.

Johnson will join the team in 2026, right after Bruce Thornton will have graduated and moved on to the professional ranks. He will instantly become a major contributor and ballhandler for Ohio State upon arrival.