Duke recruit Jalen Johnson will return to Nicolet for school, not necessarily for basketball

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Nicolet's Jalen Johnson gets to the rim for two of his 16 points in the Knights' 70-46 win over Elkhorn in the Division 2 state semifinal game March 15, 2019. Johnson, who transferred to IMG Academy in Florida before the start of the 2019-20 school year, will now return to Nicolet to finish his senior year.

Jalen Johnson is returning to Nicolet.

The Duke recruit, who is one of the top boys basketball players in the nation, will enroll in the school he led to the Division 2 state championship last season, his father, Rod, wrote in a text message. Johnson spent the first part of the school year attending IMG Academy in Florida.

Rod Johnson did not share a reason for his son’s return. He said the family has not decided if it will attempt to gain eligibility for Jalen to play for Nicolet this season.

According to the WIAA’s transfer rule, Johnson will need a waiver to compete.

Johnson’s brother, Kobe, remained at Nicolet and entering play Friday shared the team’s scoring lead with 20.1 points per game. The Knights were 8-3 overall with a 6-2 mark in the North Shore that left them one game out of first place.

Johnson was the Associated Press state player of the year last season. He averaged 19.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game for the Knights. Seven times he recorded triple-doubles. He averaged 18 points, 15.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in two state tournament games and finished the year with 20 points, 20 rebounds and four assists in a 67-54 victory over Milwaukee Washington in the state final.

Contact Mark Stewart at Mark.Stewart@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MarkStewartMJS.