Inside The Panthers

Former Pitt G Meets With Auburn

Former Pitt Panthers guard Dior Johnson is exploring some impressive options as a transfer.

Stephen Thompson

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers guard Dior Johnson is back at the Power 4 level after committing to a new school out of the transfer portal.

Johnson, who was at one time committed to Oregon and Syracuse before finally landing at Pitt to begin his rocky college career, will has held a zoom meeting with the Auburn Tigers, according to a report from On3's Joe Tipton.

According to a report from 247Sports college basketball recruiting insider, Dushawn London, Johnson, has fielded interest from schools in the Big XII, ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big East, Mountain West and American conferences.

This past season at Clarendon Community College, Johnson averaged 29.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 52% from the field, 42% from 3-point range and 83% from the free throw line. 

Johnson never appeared in a game after joining the Panthers in the summer of 2022. He was a late addition to the recruiting class, choosing Pitt after de-committing from Oregon and then Syracuse.

He was arrested for his involvement in a domestic violence case that took place in Oakland last September. He was accused of holding a woman against her will at an apart­ment, slapping and punching her and pushing her face into a bed, making it difficult for her to breathe.

After a nearly month-long investigation, Johnson was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation, unlawful restraint, simple assault and false imprisonment and suspended indefinitely. In December, Johnson pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and strangulation and was sentenced to one year of probation.

Johnson was reinstated following his sentencing and returned to practice, but did not play for the remainder of the season. The program called it a redshirt year. He traveled with the team on their foreign tour to Spain last summer and played in two international contests.

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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: