Scoring savant Dior Johnson returns to UCF, ready to dominate after a prolific season, aiming for a starting role after his transfer success.
After lighting up the Western Athletic Conference with Tarleton State, former UCF combo guard Dior Johnson announced he would be returning to the program for a second stint.
With the Texans, Johnson averaged 24.0 points per game, shooting on stellar 50/47/85 splits.
More impressively, Johnson did so despite coming off the bench, serving as one of the best collegiate bench scorers in recent memory.
Johnson showed the ability to take over games on multiple occasions, scoring 30-plus in seven appearances and eclipsing 40 twice.
Against Big 12 rival Baylor, Johnson exploded for 42 points, shooting an incredible 17-for-24 from the field.
He followed up this flurry with 33, 29, and 27-point showings, with all three leading to wins.
Johnson was highly-touted recruit out of high school, but bounced around various commitments before ending up at a junior college.
Two seasons ago, at UCF, Johnson got a limited taste of Division 1 basketball, dealing with lingering injuries and strong guard depth.
In 35 appearances, Johnson averaged just 8.5 minutes per game, failing to crack the starting lineup.
During the regular season, Johnson scored double-digits just once, dropping 11 points against Wisconsin in the Greenbrier Tip-Off.
However, in the College Basketball Crown Semifinals, Johnson was a key part of the Knights' 104-98 overtime victory over Villanova, scoring a season-high 13 points, knocking down three 3-pointers.
Of course, UCF legend point guard Darius Johnson dominated the scoresheet with a 42-point performance against the Wildcats, but Dior's energy and big-time shot making was an unsung part of the victory.
Johnson was one of the last Knights to enter the portal in the complete migration last offseason and choosing Tarleton State has allowed him to shine in a larger role.
After deciding to hit the portal, both Johnson and senior Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 among all transfers, according to teamrankings.com.
Now, he rejoins a Knights program coming off its first March Madness berth in six seasons.
He will undoubtedly have a larger role in his second stint with UCF, competing for a starting guard spot with incoming talent like Lewis Walker and Cayden Vasko.
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