Returning to Orlando after a prolific scoring tear at Tarleton State, the former WAC Sixth Man of the Year looks to anchor Johnny Dawkins’ retooled Big 12 backcourt.
Head coach Johnny Dawkins is once again trying to build a contending UCF squad after major turnover from the 2025-2026 March Madness team.
Carmelo Pacheco and John Bol are two returners expected to get some playing time, with Bol entering his second season starting on the inside.
But, the remaining backcourt and wing pieces are all new, with players like Arturo Dean, Cayden Vasko, and Lewis Walker entering their first years with the program.
Dior Johnson, who is returning to UCF for his second stint, expects to have much more opportunity than the first time around, coming off a dynamic season with Tarleton State.
He has gotten recent recognition from College Basketball Report, who ranked Johnson as the No. 17 overall shooting guard in the country.
The same page predicted he would average over 17 points per game, which would be a strong mark in the ultra-competitive Big 12 Conference.
Last season, Johnson was one of the most dynamic players in Division I, averaging 24.0 points per game while 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 was named the WAC Sixth Man of the Year, but did not provide much outside of his scoring.
The former 5-star high school recruit averaged less than two assists per game despite getting a lot of defensive attention.
With more talent surrounding him at UCF, Johnson will need to improve as a playmaker to be in the top-20 discussion.
One good sign for Johnson and UCF as a whole is how he is viewing this upcoming season.
Johnson has talked about focusing on winning rather than looking to replicate his gaudy scoring numbers from last season.
"I just want to be a winner," Johnson said. "I know everybody is high on my offense, wondering how its going to translate or what I'm going to do this year, but my play will speak for itself."
Two seasons ago, at UCF, Johnson got a limited taste of Big 12 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.
But, Johnson looked much more polished in his year away from the program, and brings high expectations with him back to Orlando.
Dawkins has shown the ability to build a connected team through the portal, and has brought in some interesting pieces to compete in the Big 12.
