North Carolina transfer Donovan “Puff” Johnson has committed to Penn State, Johnson tweeted Wednesday afternoon.
Johnson went on an official visit to Penn State earlier this week.
Johnson has two years of eligibility remaining after playing three seasons for the Tar Heels.
He missed the second half of his freshman season in 2020-21 due to a toe injury.
Johnson won America’s hearts during the 2022 NCAA Championship Game against Kansas. He scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds off the bench, and played so hard that he threw up on the court.
This past season, Johnson averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 15.9 minutes over 27 games, making two starts. He shot at a 38.7% clip (36-for-93) and posted a 65.8% mark from the foul line (25-for-38).
Johnson is the fifth player to transfer to Penn State since Mike Rhoades became the head coach in late March.
He joins A-10 Player of the Year Ace Baldwin and Nick Kern, who played for Rhoades at VCU, and Zach Hicks, who played at Temple.
Penn State now has six scholarship players who aren’t either out of eligibility or in the transfer portal. Evan Mahaffey, Kebba Njie, Caleb Dorsey and Dallion Johnson entered the portal. Dorsey (William & Mary) and Johnson (Florida Gulf Coast) found new homes. Njie and Mahaffey are still in the portal. Jameel Brown had been in the portal but decided to stay at Penn State.
Johnson knows Pennsylvania well, having grown up in Moon Township, near Pittsburgh. His brother, Cam, starred at North Carolina and was the 11th overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, going to the Suns. He played in Pheonix for a little more than three seasons, helping the Suns get to the NBA Finals in 2021. Now, he’s with the Brooklyn Nets.
I don’t understand some of these kids not wanting to stay home and make Pitt a powerhouse! But then again I guess Pitt isn’t throwing around large NIL money either.
Total money grab. Get the bag while you can cause pros are not in your future player. Pitt don’t pay to play like some bigger win at all costs schools.