Syracuse was first to offer 5-star wing originally from Rochester. 'Special blend of tools.'

David Johnson's first Division I scholarship offer came from Syracuse basketball in late August of last year, he noted on his Instagram page. The 6-foot-8, 180-pound Johnson, who is originally from Rochester, N.Y., oozes NBA potential, some analysts and scouts say.

It's not clear if the new Orange staff under first-year head coach Gerry McNamara has re-offered a scholarship to Johnson, a 2029 five-star wing/forward. However, experts tell Inside the Loud House that they expect 'Cuse coaches to evaluate Johnson, if they haven't already re-offered him.

Johnson, per reports from late June, has a new high school home for his upcoming sophomore campaign. In the 2026-27 season, he will suit up for the Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, which is led by head coach Kevin Boyle, one of the most successful prep coaches in the history of high school basketball.

As a freshman, Johnson played first at Huntington Expression Prep in Huntington, W. Va., and then at the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., which is part of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic").

Last season, Spire was part of the EYBL Scholastic, which had 20 members but is now at 15 schools for 2026-27. In early May of this year, ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi reported that Spire had officially partnered with Adidas.

That's something to keep in mind as to why certain programs that were part of the EYBL Scholastic in 2025-26 are no longer in the Nike-sponsored super league, several sources have told Inside the Loud House.

Syracuse basketball was the first to offer 2029 five-star wing David Johnson, who is originally from Rochester.

Per his Instagram account, Johnson's early offer sheet also includes Providence, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech. Within the 2029 class, he is ranked No. 5 overall by ESPN and No. 4 nationally, according to Rivals.

In the latest AAU season, Johnson played for the 15U team of the New York Lightning in Nike's EYBL league. According to the EYBL's Web site, though, he only competed in four games, averaging 13.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks per contest while connecting on 39.2 percent from the field and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line.

So what kind of prospect is David Johnson?

"He has a special blend of tools available to him," Philip Kirsch, a basketball analyst at media outlet Pro Insight, told Inside the Loud House in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

Kirsch says that Johnson has great height and length for a player on the wing, and he has guard-like skills. He has scoring prowess, is an off-ball connector and a "pretty unselfish guy. He does a bunch of things that contribute to winning," Kirsch adds. "He's got so much versatility."

Like many players his age, Johnson will need to add muscle and strength to his frame. He also must be more assertive and aggressive at times, and that will come with more experience competing at a high level, such as the national schedule that Spire plays.

Kirsch believes that Spire is a good fit for Johnson, as he will be able to develop as a prospect over the next few years under Boyle and his staff. The Pro Insight analyst doesn't necessarily envision Johnson as the future No. 1 overall prospect in the 2029 cycle, but he's definitely well positioned to be in the top three or four, Kirsch says.

As for Syracuse basketball, the SU staff is laser-focused these days on its current roster, the upcoming season and its priority recruits in the 2027 class. That being said, it wouldn't surprise me if the Orange makes a run at Johnson when all is said and done.

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