Alabama basketball signee R.J. Johnson requests release

One of Alabama basketball’s 2023 signees is having a change of heart. According to a report from On3’s Joe Tipton, three-star point guard R.J. Johnson has requested his release and plans to re-open his recruitment.

Johnson, a Huntsville, Alabama native played at Grissom High School where he averaged 17.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists last season. The 6-foot-2 guard also starred for the Georgia Stars in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 assists at Peach Jam.

"Here at the University of Alabama we make it a priority to recruit the best players in the state, and we are excited to add the best player in the state of Alabama in R.J. Johnson, coming from a great program in coach Jack Doss,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said following Johnson’s signing in November. “He is a big, strong, athletic and tough guard that is developing as a shooter. We feel that his toughness and versatility can really help us. We are a blue-collar program and he has blue-collar characteristics that can help us win a lot of games."

Johnson was one of four freshmen set to join Alabama this summer along with four-star forwards Mouhamed Dioubate and Sam Walters as well as four-star guard Kris Parker. The Crimson Tide already added four-star guard Davin Cosby in January.

Earlier this week, Alabama saw sophomore guard Nimari Burnett place his name in the transfer portal. The Crimson Tide also received a commitment from Wichita State junior wing Jaykwon Walton.