Tarleton State guard Dior Johnson had a stellar 2025-26 season, averaging 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game despite coming off the bench for the Texans. His points average would have ranked second in NCAA Division I this season, but he fell short of the minimum games requirement by four games.
Dior Johnson to Enter the Transfer Portal After a Breakout Season at Tarleton State
Johnson posted these statistics despite starting only two of his 20 games at Tarleton State. His performance earned him WAC Sixth Man of the Year and Second Team All-WAC honors. This breakout season led the former five-star recruit to enter the transfer portal in search of greater opportunities in his senior year.
Johnson announced his intention to transfer on Monday, nine months after signing with Tarleton State, where he showed he still has the potential that made him one of the most sought-after players in the Class of 2022. On3 national basketball reporter Joe Tipton reported the development, which was later shared on The Field of 68’s social media.
NEWS: Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson plans to enter the transfer portal, per @JoeTipton
The 6-3 guard averaged 24.0 PPG and was the second-leading scorer in all of college basketball this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/DTmHPYfXjd
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 30, 2026
Despite missing 12 games due to various injuries, the 6-foot-3 guard showed his explosive talent on the court with the Texans, scoring a season-high 42 points against Big 12 Conference school Baylor on Nov. 14, 2025. He scored 20 or more points in 14 games, including five with 30-plus points and two with 40 or more this past season.
Johnson earned five WAC Newcomer of the Week awards. He was a three-time WAC Player of the Week during his time at Tarleton State, an impressive achievement for someone who went from a highly rated high school prospect to being arrested for assault and strangulation during his redshirt season at Pittsburgh.
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The former 15th-ranked prospect in the 2022 ESPN 100 rankings for incoming college basketball players seemed to thrive on drama both on and off the court, often transferring programs in high school, initially attending IMG Academy as a freshman before transferring to Findlay Prep in Nevada.
Johnson committed to Hillcrest Prep in Arizona after Findlay Prep closed, but he left before his sophomore year started. He transferred to Los Angeles, where he was supposed to play at Fairfax, but he ultimately attended Mayfair High School instead.
His next two seasons were even more turbulent: He did not play for Oak Hill Academy due to a leg injury, and after transferring to Centennial High School in Corona, California, he was unable to log a single minute. The following year, he started his senior year at Prolific Prep in Napa but transferred again, this time to SoCal Academy.
Several college programs recognized his talent despite his frequent school changes. Syracuse and Oregon thought they had a star player, but they were disappointed when Johnson decommitted from those programs between late 2020 and mid-2022.
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He missed his opportunity at Pitt after that felony charge, but a junior college in Texas gave him another chance, where he performed well and averaged 29.7 points per game. That opportunity allowed him to return to Division I basketball, and UCF gave him a chance at redemption despite limited playing time.
The season-long stint with the Knights built his credibility, and once he transferred to Tarleton State, head coach Billy Gillispie allowed him to score freely and make plays for the team, even though he had to come off the bench for most of his games.
Johnson hopes that his attempt to transfer to another school will help him gain recognition from a larger Division I program that can utilize his skills, giving him a chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament. It will also allow him to continue his redemption journey and demonstrate that he deserves another opportunity despite his troubled past.
