USC guard Kobe Johnson announces plans to enter NBA Draft, NCAA Transfer Portal

USC Trojans guard Kobe Johnson plans to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility in the NCAA Transfer Portal, he announced via social media on Friday.

After three seasons in Los Angeles, Johnson will be calling a new city home next season, as he’s decided to move on from the Big Ten bound program for the 2024-2025 campaign.

pic.twitter.com/MZEpWdBvq6

— Kobe Johnson (@iamkobejohnson) March 22, 2024

“These past 3 years of my life have truly been a blessing. I can’t even begin to express my gratitude for the incredible journey I’ve had here,” Johnson wrote via X, formerly known as Twitter. “I would like to say a sincere thank you to the coaches, my teammates, and the fans for showing unwavering support throughout my time here at USC. USC will always hold a special place in my heart. #FightOn

“With that being said, I’ve made the decision to enter into the NBA draft while maintaining my college eligibility, as well as planning to enter into the NCAA transfer portal.”

Kobe Johnson played high school basketball at Nicolet (WI). He did not have a star rating, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies, but other publications rated as a three-star in the Class of 2021.

He set a new career high in points per game this past season, averaging 10.9 points for the Trojans throughout the 2023-2024 season.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

More on Kobe Johnson, USC Trojans

Kobe Johnson isn’t the first USC guard to enter the portal. Earlier this week, Oziyah Sellers announced he’s planning to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from The Athletic.

Sellers was a sophomore this season for the Trojans, averaging 5.2 points. He saw just 14.3 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard is a former high-profile recruit, though he hasn’t quite lived up to that billing just yet at the college level.

Sellers was a three-star prospect but was rated as the No. 143 overall player in the nation in the 2022 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

He also checked in as the No. 21 shooting guard in his class and the No. 18 overall player from the state of California, hailing from Castaic (CA) Southern California Academy.