Let him play!
The University of Pittsburgh refuses to allow Cameron Johnson to transfer to North Carolina, but that hasn’t stopped the guard from going through the recruiting process all the same. Johnson will be visiting Chapel Hill this coming Monday, on Memorial Day, in order to get a better sense of what he could be getting into. This will be an important visit for both parties, considering what this kid is currently going through.
After three seasons with Pittsburgh, Johnson graduated following his junior year. Players are typically allowed to transfer wherever they want once they fulfill their academic responsibility to their school, but the Panthers aren’t playing along. Instead of allowing Johnson to play this coming year wherever he wants, they are placing restrictions on where he can transfer, asking that he sit out a year if he decides to attend another school in the ACC or on his former team’s schedule—and the college basketball world is livid.
Pitt grad transfer Cam Johnson will visit North Carolina on Monday, per a source. Still no word on a potential waiver to play next year.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 24, 2017
After Johnson announced his decision to transfer in March, he made it known that he was interested in Arizona, Kentucky, Ohio State, UCLA, Oregon, and TCU. After visiting many of those schools in the last two months, UNC also entered the picture and seemed to gain the upper hand in the recruiting process. Now, it looks like Pitt’s restrictions will make the transfer impossible, unless they have a change of heart.
The six-foot-seven, 185-pound shooting guard could end up as a valuable piece for the Tar Heels’ offense, if the team doesn’t believe Kenny Williams, Seventh Woods, and Brandon Robinson can be trusted to play there regularly. Johnson would give them a two-year stopgap, allowing the likes of Williams to get plenty of playing time, while giving them a fallback option.
There is still no way to know whether or not Pittsburgh is any closer to allowing Johnson to transfer after making this into such a ridiculous show. Roy Williams has been reportedly trying to work with Pitt head coach Kevin Stallings to get the block removed, but nothing is certain yet. It’s possible that Monday’s visit could determine whether Johnson’s supposed high interest in UNC is worth the fight, of if he’ll settle elsewhere.
