Among the many names within the 2020 girls’s basketball recruiting class was one barely lesser recognized: Diamond Johnson-a powerful 5-5 guard from Philadelphia who was named Gatorade Pennsylvania Women Basketball Participant of the 12 months, not as soon as however twice. To the informal basketball fan, she isn’t fairly the family title…but.
After attending Rutgers her freshman 12 months, the place she was a 50-40-90 participant and earned Second Staff All-Massive Ten honors and made the Massive Ten All-Freshman Staff, Johnson transferred to NC State, the place she earned ACC Sixth Participant of the 12 months as a sophomore and All-ACC Second Staff honors final 12 months as a junior.
On the finish of final season, she entered the switch portal once more, this time for a brand new problem.
She selected to lace them up for Norfolk State College, the reigning MEAC common season and event champions, and as excited as she is to expertise the HBCU tradition firsthand, she made it clear this was a basketball determination.
“They’ve numerous good coaches on that degree, and so they develop gamers. That was vital for me this time round,” Johnson tells me. Johnson hopes her determination will lead extra ladies to weigh HBCUs as respectable choices to additional their careers and obtain their targets. Her sights are set on the WNBA, and lots of mock drafts have her projected as a possible first-round decide. Anybody who’s sensible wouldn’t wager towards her.
Images through Getty Pictures.