ALEXANDRIA, La. -- LSU basketball coach Trent Johnson said he was caught off guard when he learned prized recruit J'Mison Morgan wanted to be released from his commitment to the Tigers so he could instead attempt to play for UCLA.

Morgan was recruited by former LSU coach John Brady and assistant Butch Pierre, who later served as interim coach late last season before Johnson was given the job full-time.

Courtesy of the Associated Press

Trent Johnson, the men's basketball coach at LSU, expressed shock that star recruit J'Mison Morgan wanted out of his commitment.

The 6-foot-10 Morgan, a star at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, had committed to LSU before the regime change in the basketball program, though Johnson did pay Morgan visit at Oak Cliff and his home two weeks ago, returning to Baton Rouge with the impression that Morgan still intended to play for the Tigers.

"When I was at the high school and visited with the coach and the kid, and when I went into his home, he said he wanted to come here," Johnson said during a visit to Alexandria for an LSU promotion. "Any time you have a coaching change anywhere, though, this is what goes on."

Johnson said he spoke to Morgan's mother, Bianca Morgan, on Wednesday, and she had not changed her mind since making published comments that LSU was not the right place for her son. She suggested Johnson hadn't shown enough interest in her son.

"I was shocked," Johnson said of his initial response to Bianca Morgan's comments. "He's a very neat kid. On the other hand, this is not my first rodeo. There is no state of panic."

Johnson said he made repeated attempts since April 22 to contact Morgan and his mother, but calls were not returned.

He said he would try to get to the bottom of the issue, but did not intend to force Morgan to abide by his commitment to the Tigers if Morgan cannot be persuaded to come to Baton Rouge in a good frame of mind.

"I want guys who want to be here," Johnson said. "This is LSU. This is the first time I've been in a situation where the recruiting pool is this large. I'm building a program, and I want to do so with guys who want to be here."