Blaze Johnson is, without a doubt, one of the most highly touted youth basketball players in the world today.
The 16-year-old point guard from Overtime Elite’s City Reapers added even more hardware to his growing collection, emerging as a Smart-NBTC National Champion and claiming the Ato Badolato Most Outstanding Player award after leading Fil-Am Nation to a historic three-peat.
Beyond his dominance on the court, one question continues to follow the five-star prospect: given his Filipino roots, could he one day suit up for Gilas Pilipinas?
Johnson, who has often joked about his love for lumpia, revealed that his connection to the Philippines runs deeper than many realize—especially after securing his Philippine passport.
“It’s from my mom’s side, a lot of people don’t know. I also have my Filipino passport, and it’s really through my mom and her side and everything,” he said.
The timing of that development is crucial.
“Just a couple of months ago, I was 15; I just turned 16 two weeks ago.”
During Fil-Am Nation’s title run, Johnson was at the forefront, averaging 18.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.
He punctuated his stellar campaign with a dominant performance in the finals, tallying 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals to lift his squad to an 85–75 overtime victory over the University of Santo Tomas and secure the three-peat.
Off the court, Johnson, along with fellow Team USA invitee Quali Giran and forward Elias Gish, has already met with newly appointed Gilas Pilipinas Boys’ head coach Juno Sauler during their stay in Manila—an early sign of growing ties with the national program.
(C) Juno Sauler
However, with his sky-high ceiling, it comes as no surprise that USA Basketball has already taken notice.
Johnson has been invited to join the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team minicamp this July.
“You know, it’s a rare thing in the United States. So, you know, it’s a big accomplishment, especially coming from here, then going back there, I’m just gonna be really excited,” he noted.
Even so, Johnson made it clear that the door remains open for the Philippines.
“I mean, I know the option’s there, I definitely feel like if I weren’t to go to the US, play for that team, I’d definitely come and play here,” he said.
For now, Filipino fans can expect to see more of Johnson in the NBTC. At just 16 years old, he understands that his journey is only beginning—and that his name will continue to echo in the years to come.
“Just know you’re gonna hear my name a lot,” he vowed.
“I’m probably gonna be here next year and the year after that, I’m only 16.”
