Former five-star recruit Puff Johnson is set to enter the transfer portal for the second time in as many years. Johnson began his college basketball journey at North Carolina after coming out of Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was ranked the No. 15 small forward in his class with a 95 overall rating by 247Sports.
During his first three seasons with the Tar Heels, Johnson played in 75 games, starting two during his junior year. His production grew steadily over that span—he averaged 1.1 points per game in 14 appearances as a redshirt freshman, then improved to 3.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 24 games the next season. In his final season at UNC, he contributed 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game coming off the bench.
Following the 2022-23 season, Johnson entered the transfer portal for the first time, seeking a new opportunity. Rated as a Five-star transfer with a 90 rating by 247Sports, he was the 26th-ranked small forward in the portal and landed at Penn State in the Big Ten.
At Penn State, he started 12 of the 29 games he played in his first year, posting averages of 7.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.2% from the field. His senior year was his most productive, with career highs of 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game on an efficient 54.3% shooting.
With one year of eligibility remaining, Johnson is back in the portal once again. Could a return to Chapel Hill be in the cards to close out his college career?
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