Syracuse Basketball: Elite 5-star target David Johnson moves to powerhouse Oak Hill

Five-star David Johnson, one of the top freshmen around the country in high school hoops who holds a Syracuse basketball offer, recently transferred to a powerhouse program that Orange recruiting enthusiasts know well.

Per his Instagram page, the 6-foot-8 wing in the 2029 class has moved to the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., which over the years has sent numerous of its players to Central New York. Oak Hill alumni who played at Syracuse basketball include Carmelo Anthony, Eric Devendorf and Judah Mintz, among others.

In April of this year, Anthony was named the co-general manager of basketball operations at Oak Hill. The Warriors compete in arguably the nation's top high school hoops conference, the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic"). For the current 2025-26 season, the EYBL Scholastic expanded from 14 teams to 20 members.

Previously, Johnson, who is from New York state, suited up for another excellent high school program, Huntington Expression Prep in Huntington, W.Va. He is a freshman in high school, and his recruitment has a long way to go.

According to his Instagram account, Johnson received a scholarship offer from the Orange in late August of this year. His offer sheet also includes Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.

Syracuse basketball recruit David Johnson has transferred to Oak Hill.

The primary recruiting services haven't yet published player rankings for the 2029 class, but based on comments from analysts and scouts, Johnson is trending as a five-star prospect and a top-10 to a top-15 overall player in this cycle.

Last month, an article on nbadraftroom.com named the top 15 freshmen in high school basketball. Included here are Johnson and another prospect who holds a Syracuse basketball offer, combo guard Isaiah Rider IV. The 6-foot-2 Rider, a freshman at Higley High School in Gilbert, Ariz., is the son of former UNLV All-American and NBA player J.R. Rider.

Here's what nbadraftroom.com had to say about Johnson: "A lanky and mobile big forward who is just growing into his frame and getting his legs under him but has a lot of upside due to his size, length and athleticism. At 6-8 and almost certainly still growing Johnson has a chance to become a big time combo forward as his frame and his game continue to develop. He’s a fluid mover in the open court and is an athlete, not just a tall dude. Adding strength and continuing to fill out his frame will be priorities over the course of his high school career."