‘I like to see a sisterhood.’ ZaKiyah Johnson talks growth, final 6 and timeline to commit.

ZaKiyah Johnson held the attention of dozens of Division I coaches and onlookers as she drained the first bucket of the West Virginia Thunder’s 58-49 summer ball victory over Team Curry on Sunday — a smooth 3-pointer.

Not only did the basket set the tone for her team in what would ultimately be a competitive matchup, but it laid the groundwork for an excellent game from the top-ranked player in Kentucky. Even better? Representatives from each school in Johnson’s recently revealed list of six finalists — UK head coach Kenny Brooks and associate head coach Lindsey Hicks, Louisville associate coach Shay Robinson, LSU associate head coach Bob Starkey, Notre Dame associate head coach Carol Owens, Southern California assistant coach Wendale Farrow and South Carolina associate head coach Lisa Boyer — were in attendance for the performance.

Johnson, a star for Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville during that school’s four consecutive girls basketball state championships, has come a long way since she received her first scholarship offer from Louisville in seventh grade. She told the Herald-Leader that her development into a versatile player has completely changed her game.

“I kind of started off as a two-dimensional player,” Johnson said. “But as I grew, I spread my game out a little bit. You can also say seventh grade was really just, I don’t know, I wasn’t really out playing with a purpose, I don’t think. But now, because I had to work from where I started at, it got me here. Looking back to where I was in seventh grade and keeping that attached to my hip is a big part of my game.”

Johnson, the No. 7 national prospect in the class of 2025, has had an electric summer. Johnson went from winning gold in June with the 18U Junior National Team in her Team USA debut to narrowing her list of finalists to six schools, to closing the book on her decorated AAU career.

In Colombia, Team USA’s U18 roster earned its 11th consecutive gold medal; a standard only achieved by a full team effort, from the five-star-packed roster to the knowledgeable coaching staff.

Coached by Indiana’s Teri Moren and assistants Niele Ivey (Notre Dame) and Jose Fernandez (South Florida), Johnson said she experienced a look at the next level of competition, and just how important each member of the roster and coaching staff is. The team required Johnson, a 6-foot guard, to fit into a “different role” than she’s used to.

“You’re not going to be able to play the same position or same role as you do now at my age,” Johnson said. “But it definitely taught me you’ve just got to be disciplined. Be consistent, and you’ll get through it. I mean, it’s hard. It’s definitely hard. It’s different, but it’s always good for you.”

Johnson took one step closer to the next level July 3 when she took to social media to post her top six — Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Notre Dame, Southern California and South Carolina — narrowed down from a top 13 that also included Arizona, UConn, Georgia, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Tennessee and UCLA.

Location, ultimately, isn’t much of a factor. She plans to take official visits to each of her top six schools during football season in order to get the full experience before committing on her birthday, Nov. 23. But prior to that, Johnson chose these finalists based on how close and connected the programs seem to be.

“I like to see a sisterhood,” Johnson said. “And I think I could notice that the most in those six schools I picked. But it’s definitely gonna be fun, just picking between them. Going to visit and seeing what the real thing is in my own eyes. Definitely the sisterhood because I am really big on who I’m playing with for four years.”

Johnson’s careers with both the West Virginia Thunder and Sacred Heart radiate sisterhood. The choice to spend critical years of development and growth with coaches and teammates is a big one, but Johnson has found a lot of joy in those journeys.

Her time on the AAU circuit — which included a Girls’ Under Armour Association championship in 2022 — is about to end. She’s had excellent teammates over the years, including Kymora Johnson (Virginia) and former Mercer County High School standout Timberlynn Yeast (Marshall), members of the high school class of 2023. But once August rolls around, and the Thunder jersey has been hung up for good, Johnson will no longer be teammates with longtime friend (and fellow five-star) Dee Alexander, a Cincinnati commit and the No. 11 prospect in the class of 2025.

“It’s definitely sad getting to the end of it,” Johnson said. “Because I’ve been playing with them for such a long time, but I know I’ll continue to see them throughout my journey. I know me and Dee, we’ll stay close and in touch. But it’s gonna be different.”

During her senior year at Sacred Heart, Johnson is challenging herself with leveling up as a leader. Now, in the absence of former Valkyries Reagan Bender (Louisville) and Angelina Pelayo (UNC Wilmington), Johnson feels a responsibility to shift to a more vocal approach.

“(Before) I kind of let my game speak for me,” Johnson said. “Because the other girls were there, and they did all the talking. But now I’m the oldest, so I think it’s my turn to step that up and develop because that’s a big part of your game when you get to the next level.”

A three-time KHSAA state champion and three-time Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, Johnson hopes to continue Sacred Heart’s historic run in her fourth and final season with the Valkyries. But, for Johnson, it’s not just about what the team can achieve this year; it matters to her that she does all she can to ensure the next generation of Sacred Heart basketball is just as successful as her own.

“The younger players coming in,” Johnson said. “Helping them start their own thing with the program. After my year, it’s really a reset. So just kind of getting them in the flow so they can create their own team. And hopefully just keep going and going after my class leaves.”

Johnson is one of three in-state prospects ranked in the class of 2025’s top 100. She is joined by Bethlehem’s Leah Macy (No. 12), a Notre Dame commit, and George Rogers Clark’s Ciara Byars (No. 44).

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