Injury Will Keep UCLA’s Johnson Out 4-6 Weeks

UCLA freshman forward Josiah Johnson is expected to miss four to six weeks after doctors discovered a stress fracture in his left foot. How quickly Johnson recovers will help determine whether he might redshirt this season, Coach Steve Lavin said.

Johnson, whose father is former UCLA star Marques Johnson, is not expected to play extensively this season even if healthy. The Bruins play an exhibition game Wednesday and open the regular season Nov. 9 against Kansas.

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Santa Ana Mater Dei High center Jamal Sampson, one of the nation’s most coveted recruits, committed to California.

The 6-foot-11 standout, who averaged 13.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and blocked 147 shots as a junior, picked Cal over Saint Louis, Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said.

“He really liked Lorenzo [Romar, the St. Louis coach], but I think he wanted to stay close to home,” McKnight said.

UCLA had so coveted Sampson that the Bruins held a scholarship just for him. That scholarship now figures to be withheld until the spring and might not be awarded at all this year. The Bruins already have verbal commitments this fall from four high school players, including Sampson’s high school teammate, Cedric Bozeman, who could play point guard for UCLA next season.