On Friday, Pitt basketball announced that guard Dior Johnson is no longer attending the University of Pittsburgh.
Johnson, a former five-star recruit, never played a regular season game in a Pitt uniform. Prior to his freshman season last year, he was arrested and subsequently suspended indefinitely by the team after he was involved in a domestic abuse incident in Oakland. Johnson eventually plead guilty to two charges: strangulation and simple assault.
He originally faced charges of one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of strangulation, one misdemeanor count of unlawful restraint, one misdemeanor count of simple assault and one misdemeanor count of false imprisonment.
The judge for the case dropped four charges, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, witness intimidation and aggravated assault, but held one charge of simple assault (misdemeanor) and one charge of strangulation (felony) on Oct. 20, 2022.
Johnson plead guilty to those two charges on Dec. 9, 2022, with the judge lessening the strangulation charge to a misdemeanor ordering Johnson to serve a year of probation.
With his charges dropped from felonies to misdemeanors, Pitt chose to bring him back to practice, but redshirted him. He was also involved with the Pitt international tour in Spain this summer.
Dior Johnson is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Saugerties, New York. At the time of his commitment, he was Jeff Capel’s highest-ranked recruit while at Pitt.
The Panthers’ back court is now even thinner, as freshman Jaland Lowe and Carlton Carrington are joined by transfer Ishmael Leggett to lead the guard room. Pitt now has two scholarships open for this upcoming season.
Hey George can you give us an explanation as to why he’s left the program and university?
If you follow the team, you’d know this is what he does. Track record is as clear as his criminal record.
I know that’s his track record, but he was going to start this year. He could’ve balled out and left and I’d been okay with that.
You are right. How many high schools has he attended and how many colleges has he committed to play for. Good bye and good riddance.
Least surprising news I’ve read in a long time
This is why you don’t support felons. Capel is the problem. This is the 3rd felon he stood behind and lost.
The same “problem” took a team that was picked to be at the bottom of the ACC, to his team nearly to the sweet 16! Player choices by coaches are made everyday. Most of the time they work out, sometimes they don’t. In this case, a kid took a free trip to Europe, played basketball and when he came home, decided to leave the team and school that has backed and supported him. That to me IS NOT on the coach. It’s on the kid and his parents for NOT HONORING THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AND IT”S… Read more »
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I don’t dislike Capel, but this absolutely looks bad for him and Lyke. Dior’s suspension wasn’t just a case of a young person making a bad decision. What he did was ruthless and psychotic. It was embarrassing how quickly he was allowed to re-join the team and exposed Pitt for how desperate they were to retain a top recruit. His departure should come as no shock.
Friendly feedback: Adding all caps just makes you sound even more stupid.
So you crucify a teenage rather than possibly be a positive force in his life. Something in the Bible reminds me of the one lost sheep.
I’m more concerned about his victim.
I am more than content that Johnson is now gone. He is obviously an unstable young man with poor life management skills. Having said that, none of us really know the truth concerning the details of that case. Charges are just that, charges. That’s why people are innocent until proven guilty. We don’t know if she was a victim, or, someone using a situation for financial gain.
He pled guilty cretin. So in this case “charges are not just charges”.
Cretin? Name calling does not reinforce your argument. Pleading guilty, and in this case, misdemeanors, doesn’t equate to guilt. Pleading is often done by a defendant as a response to attorney advice. It is termed ” best interest.” The factors that are considered measures the other possible outcomes that could be more harmful if taken to trial. I don’t know if you are generally ignorant, or, just ignorant of U.S. law.
Wow. Unbelievable. Some of these kids are just trouble and no matter how much you hope they won’t be.
Oh look it’s Rob RaDICK …… total loser
Rob RaDICK can’t you just go away ….. Nobody cares about anything you have to say
And yet you can’t help but continually comment. Sad little troll.
RaDICK , you still living in Mommy’s basement????
Hey RaDICK …. Where did you disappear to last year when the team was winning and going to the tournament and winning 2 games ????? You disappeared because you couldn’t say a word because Pitt Basketball was on fire but now a new year and the same pathetic you ! Just go away … nobody wants to hear your BS
It was later revealed that Dior did not leave on his on violation. After being reinstated for several months, “administration” decided to arbitrarily and permanently remove him from the university. That was not only unfair to the coach and team, it was unfair and unethical treatment of the student athlete.
“His own violation” lol.