Inside The Panthers

North Carolina G with Pitt Connection Enters Transfer Portal

Pittsburgh native and the brother of former Pitt Panther Cam Johnson has entered the transfer portal.

Stephen Thompson

North Carolina G with Pitt Connection Enters Transfer Portal
North Carolina G with Pitt Connection Enters Transfer Portal /
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PITTSBURGH -- A new, big name has entered the transfer portal this week and he has connections to the Pitt Panthers. Puff Johnson, a former four-star recruit and top-100 player in the class of 2020, announced that he will leave the North Carolina program he committed to coming out of high school and use his remaining eligibility elsewhere. 

Johnson is the brother of former Pitt star Cam Johnson, who spent three years in Oakland before transferring to North Carolina himself. After spending two years as a Tar Heel, the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him 11th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. Johnson's enjoyed a successful four-year career in the league with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets. 

His younger brother, Puff had Pitt in his top seven schools the summer before he committed to be a Tar Heel. Over three years in Chapel Hill, Johnson averaged 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per contest over 65 appearances. He is likely looking for a bigger role elsewhere. Both Johnson brothers are from Western Pennsylvania and played their high school ball here. 

Whether or not Johnson is the right fit for them right now, the Panthers will be starved for guards and wings entering this offseason. With Jamarius Burton, Nike Sibande, Greg Elliot and Nelly Cummings all having closed their college careers, Pitt will lose four of their top six by minutes played and points per game. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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