VCU basketball adds Michigan Wolverines flavor with pair of recent transfers
Michigan basketball transfer forward Brandon Johns Jr. has a new home. He announced on Wednesday that he would be taking his skill-set to Virginia Commonwealth University. On the way out the door, he made sure to give thanks to the place that made him.
Johns will have one more season of eligibility remaining thanks to the COVID-19 pause in 2020-21.
“I can’t thank the University of Michigan enough for the best four years someone could ask for. The relationships and experiences I have had the opportunity to be apart of will never be forgotten. The next chapter awaits,” Johns said farewell post on Instagram.
Johns never quite found his footing despite some highlights at Michigan. He began the season in a starting role, but was quickly passed by freshman Moussa Diabate. Johns averaged 3.2 points and two rebounds per game. The stats were not always there, but Michigan could always count on energy and solid defense from the former East Lansing product.
The best basketball of his career came as a fill-in for Isaiah Livers down the stretch of the 2020-21 season. His presence helped Michigan reach the Elite Eight, where it fell to UCLA. Johns scored 40 combined points in four games of that tournament.
Johns famously chose Michigan over the rival Michigan State Spartans, much to the ire of MSU coach Tom Izzo. He was a four-star prospect and the No. 44 player in the 2018 recruiting class, per the On3 Consensus.
Top 10
- 1Hot
Kirk Herbstreit
Shot fired at First Take, Stephen A. Smith
- 2New
Ohio State vs. Oregon odds
Early Rose Bowl line released
- 3
Updated CFP Bracket
Quarterfinal matchups set
- 4Trending
Paul Finebaum
ESPN host rips CFP amid blowout
- 5
Klatt blasts Kiffin
Ole Miss HC called out for tweets
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
Michigan teammates reunited
An interesting wrinkle to Johns’ transfer is that he joins a former teammate with the Rams. Sophomore guard Zeb Jackson, who entered the transfer portal in January, committed to VCU on April 12. Jackson played in 20 career games at Michigan, eclipsing double-digit minutes four times. He averged 1.5 points and shot 27.8% from the field as a Wolverine.
Jackson was also a top-100 prospect and four-star recruit. On3’s Consensus ranked him as the No. 61 prospect in America in the 2020 class.
The Wolverines have another connection in the saga with Jimmy Martelli, the son of Michigan assistant Phil Martelli, at VCU as the Ram’s Director of Operations.
Michigan is currently at the scholarship limit of 13 players for the 2022-23 season. Attrition could materialize, but everything is in a holding pattern at the moment. We will know more in the coming weeks. Potential pro decisions are headlined by soon-to-be junior center Hunter Dickinson and prospective sophomore forwards Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate.
