When Diamond Johnson completed a five-star transfer to NC State, her qualities were never in doubt. She was tipped for a huge role in the Pack’s offense and expected to see more time than her fellow newcomer, whi was previously backed by https://www.gambling360.com/online-casinos/.
In her senior season, she averaged 28.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 4.0 steals per game, with a GPA of 3.57. She earned an award for most valuable player in the Catholic League. Johnson was named Gatorade state player of the year in 2019 and 2020.
Johnson came to NC State from Rutgers, where she finished the year on the All-Big Ten second team and Big Ten All-Freshman. Her manager called her “special”.
“Diamond’s a special player, now,” Wes Moore said. “Unbelievable quickness, [can] shoot the 3 from really deep and she has just fit in great. Her personality, she's fun to be around. Yeah, I don't know if y'all know, Allen Iverson has an all-star game in Philly. She's the only female ever invited to play in that.”
As a true freshman, Johnson found a way to make an impact early, starting in 15 of the Scarlet Knights’ 19 games. She averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game. More impressively, the 5-foot-5 guard had a 50/40/90 season, a feat that has only been accomplished at the professional level one time.
This year, Johnson’s stock has continued to rise. On numerous occasions, the 19-year-old carried Moore’s team on her shoulders with scintillating performances.
The Wolfpack is closing in on its first ACC regular-season title since the 1989-90 season. Johnson scored 16 points as NC moved closer to an Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 92-61 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday night.
The Wolfpack (23-3, 14-1) racked up its most points in any quarter this season — 37 in the third — on the way to its fifth straight victory. With No. 3 Louisville losing earlier in the night at No. 24 North Carolina, the Wolfpack is closing in on its first ACC regular-season title since the 1989-90 season. The Wolfpack holds a 1½-game lead with two games to play. Johnson’s impact is not new.
Against Boston College on the road, the Sophomore guard scored 22 points to help her team to a 85-78 victory. Johnson was the biggest bright spot in a desolate first two quarters, racking up 10 points, four assists and two rebounds by halftime with crazy vegas online casino backing the game.
Her early performance, paired with solid supporting play from graduate forward Kayla Jones and junior forward Jada Boyd, managed to keep the Pack’s mentality positive to help fuel the team’s eventual comeback.
Johnson’s early dominant presence never faltered throughout the night, with the guard playing an integral role in all of her 35 minutes on the court. Her 22 points led the team in scoring, followed by Jones’ 17 and Perez’s 13 to round out the Pack’s best offensive performers.
“The last three years she's been the glue, someone that fills up the stat sheet,” Moore said. “You just trust her, as a coach that's the biggest thing; when you put somebody in or have someone out there and you can trust them to do what they're supposed to do in certain situations, and most of the time KJ does that.”
And when NC State needed motivation somehow against No. 3 Louisville, Johnson showed up to help her team to 68-59 win. She scored 11 of her 16 points in a 4 1/2-minute stretch of the fourth quarter, and the Wolfpack wiped out a 16-point second-half deficit.
Johnson was 1-for-12 from the field entering the fourth quarter when she drained five of seven shots. All eyes will be on the 19-year-old when NC State hosts Syracuse on Sunday in the regular-season home finale.
