The sharpshooting veteran joins a crowded Beavers backcourt, bringing NCAA Tournament experience to the WCC as he battles for a starting role during his final collegiate season.
Chris Johnson was the first UCF Knight to enter the transfer portal and is the second-to-last transfer to announce his next program -- the Oregon State Beavers in the West Coast Conference.
Johnson found his next school nearly two months after entering the portal. Oregon State currently has six guards on the team, including the incoming UCF transfer.
The 6-foot-5 guard will have his work cut out for him to compete for a starter position. Josiah Lake II should occupy one starting position after a breakout season ending in an All-WCC First Team selection.
Johnson will battle against Jemai Lake (Josiah Lake II's younger brother), Daniel Freitag (Buffalo transfer), Legend Smiley and Sean Blakely Drummond (San Francisco transfers). The competition is steep, but Johnson is a good shooter and playmaker.
He played a crucial role in helping the Knights break a six-year NCAA Tournament drought and achieve back-to-back 20-win campaigns. Johnson averaged 6.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32 games.
Coach Johnny Dawkins brought Johnson off the bench, and he provided spacing and additional playmaking. He scored 17 points and dished five assists in 15 minutes against then-unranked Vanderbilt on Nov. 8, 2025.
Johnson came off the bench for 30 of his 32 games. The Houston, Texas native said he's always ready when Dawkins calls his name to enter the game.
"[I] feel like I know what kind of player I am," Johnson said on Dec. 11, 2025. "And I'm confident with who I am, and whenever coach Dawkins needs me, I'mma be there to give the team what we need."
His stop at UCF helped polish and add some versatility to his skill set. Johnson credited his teammates and coaches for the strides he made in improving as a player.
"I think I made a lot of improvement, and I want to thank my coaches and thank my teammates for helping me do that as well," Johnson said on Feb 27. "And I think I've improved in all aspects of my game, especially my defense."
Now, he's taking his talent to the West Coast for Oregon State, aiming to help them the way he did for UCF. The Beavers finished with a 17-16 record and placed fourth in the WCC with a 9-9 record.
Johnson will face tough competition at his new stop. Gonzaga, Santa Clara and Saint Mary's were the top three teams in the conference last season.
The 6-foot-5 guard has found a new home heading into the final year of his college basketball career. Whether he's a starter or a spark plug off the bench, Johnson should make an impact for Oregon State next season.
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