Liv Johnson is in a unique position as a student-athlete.
An incoming freshman at Carmel, the 6-foot-2 Liv Johnson already has basketball offers from DePaul, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, and she has drawn interest from multiple college volleyball programs.
“I’m super excited to start,” she said. “I think it will be so fun. My parents don’t put any pressure on me and let me play the sport I love. They are always there to encourage and help me. I’m excited to have all these opportunities and play basketball like the rest of my family members.”
Those family members include her father, Lucas Johnson, who played basketball for Illinois from 1998 to 2002; her mother, Agatha Johnson, who played basketball for DePaul from 1998 to 2001; and her uncle Brian Johnson, who played basketball for Illinois from 1994 to 1998. All starred at Maine West.
“It’s really neat she’s using her gifts to create a name for herself,” Agatha Johnson said. “She’s also staying true to our family values and keeping things in perspective.”
Liv Johnson takes after her parents on the basketball court too. For instance, she knows her father’s reputation as a tough defensive player and intends to wear No. 22, his number at Illinois.
“I have a little bit of my dad in my play because I love taking charges on the defensive end,” she said. “It’s so fun, and I love being physical. But I got all my athleticism from my mom. It all comes from her.”
Carmel girls basketball coach Ben Berg, who also works for Full Package Athletics, first noticed Liv Johnson during an AAU tournament in spring 2024.
“I thought she ran the floor well, could score on all three levels and could guard all five positions,” Berg said. “What struck me the most was she was the hardest-working kid on the floor and the most coachable. You could see her potential.”
Berg is familiar with high-level talent. His 2022 Class 3A state championship team featured Jordan Wood (Duke), Grace Sullivan (Northwestern), Mia Gillis (Wisconsin-Whitewater) and Ashley Schlabowske (Wisconsin-Whitewater).
Liv Johnson played for Carmel for two weeks in June and was the leading scorer during an alumni scrimmage that included Sullivan, Gillis and Schlabowske.
“She became a better defender, especially on the ball,” Berg said. “She’s still able to score on all three levels, and her ability to finish through contact around the basket is at a really high level.
“She’s going to move around the floor for us. We can do so many different things with her.”
Liv Johnson does many things well. But her success as a middle hitter in volleyball has surprised her family.
“We always threw everything against the wall and saw what stuck,” Lucas Johnson said. “Volleyball was a natural sport because of her height, but she was not very good to begin with. She kind of grew into her coordination.
“Volleyball was secondary because we wanted to have something to give her a break from basketball. It turned out she was actually good at volleyball.”
Liv Johnson said her love for volleyball, like her skill level, has grown over the years. She can’t receive offers from college volleyball coaches until June 15 of her sophomore year, but those will come.
“I actually did it just for fun and a break from basketball,” she said. “I never thought it would turn out the way it did. I never would have expected it. I just go out there and don’t care who is watching. I just play and have fun. I play for myself.”
Citing a recent visit with Iowa women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen, Lucas Johnson said Liv’s recruiting process is already a whirlwind.
“It’s so different now,” Lucas Johnson said. “A week ago, before she entered high school, I was sitting in coach Jensen’s office in Iowa City, and she offered Liv a scholarship. It was kind of surreal but really cool as well.
“What your goal for your kid is always to be above and beyond yourself. She’s already exceeding what Agatha and I have done. It’s going to be a really cool ride to be on with her.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.
