Kobe Johnson declares for NBA Draft and will enter NCAA transfer portal
USC guard Kobe Johnson announced Friday morning that he will enter the NBA Draft and also plans to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal.
The 6-foot-6 junior can declare for the draft and still maintain his eligibility if he withdraws prior to 10 days from the end of the NBA Draft Combine.
USC could have brought Johnson back if he just entered the draft, but his subsequent statement that he is also planning to enter the NCAA transfer portal likely means he won’t be with the Trojans next year. Entering the portal does not guarantee a player must transfer, but it’s far more common than a player entering the portal and staying at their school.
Losing Johnson would a big blow to Andy Enfield’s program, which will go through another major rebuild this offseason. It’s expected that freshman point guard Isaiah Collier will make himself available for the NBA Draft and likely be selected in the first round. Guard Oziyah Sellers and forward Kijani Wright have already entered the transfer portal this offseason. USC will also lose guard Boogie Ellis, and forwards DJ Rodman and Joshua Morgan to graduation. Ellis, Collier, Johnson, Rodman and Morgan ranked as the top five Trojans in scoring and minutes played per game, five of the top six in rebounds, five of the top six in assists and five of the top six in steals.
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“These past three years of my life have truly been a blessing,” Johnson said in a social media post. “I can’t even begin to express my gratitude for the incredible journey I’ve had here. 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.”
Johnson averaged 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, .8 blocks and led the Trojans with 2.2 steals per game. He was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for the second season in a row, and finished on USC’s top-10 list for career steals.
Johnson did indeed enter the transfer portal after posting the message.
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