Dior Johnson is looking for a challenge, and Jeff Capel is eager to give him that opportunity.
Johnson, ranked No. 35 in the 2022 ESPN Player Rankings and No. 38 by Rivals.com, signed his letter of intent, making the four-star guard the highest-rated prospect under Capel and Pitt’s highest in a decade (No. 6 Steven Adams, 2012). Rivals ranks Johnson as the No. 7 point guard in the class of 2022.
Johnson, who attended 10 high schools, had previously committed to Syracuse in 2020 and Oregon. He announced his commitment to the Panthers on Monday.
“Dior is an outstanding prospect and one of the top guards in the class of 2022,” Capel said in a statement. “We were able to develop a quick connection when he reopened his recruitment.
“He is talented, competitive and eager to be challenged to reach his full potential on and off the court. He is ready to get to campus and begin working with his new teammates, and we are excited to add a player of his caliber to our backcourt at this point in the summer.”
“I was looking for a coach to challenge me and hold me in high account,” Johnson told ESPN. “I still have some things to work on and another level to tap into, in all phases of the game. Coach Capel has a great track record and was a great player himself. I honestly feel like he’s going to pour into me as a person and player.
“Having an elite leader like himself, after us talking, I knew Pitt is where I needed to be.”
Johnson, a native of The Saugerties, N.Y., was noticed by recruiters as a seventh grader and went on to spend time at national programs such as Findlay Prep, IMG Academy, Oak Hill Academy and Prolific Prep. He led Centennial High School to a 21-2 record and a California state championship in 2021. He played at Southern California Academy in 2022.
He was a Maxpreps Second Team Sophomore All-American in 2020, averaging 23.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game at Mayfair (Calif.) High School.
Johnson (6-foot-3, 185 pounds) will be part of Pitt’s veteran backcourt that includes Jamarius Burton, Nelly Cummings and Nike Sibande, who is returning from a season-ending knee injury suffered in 2021. Graduate transfers Greg Elliott and junior-college transfer Cashius McNeilly are also part of the mix at guard.
Capel has added eight new players since the end of last season, including Cummings, Elliott, McNeilly, Blake Hinson, Fede Federiko and twins Guillermo Diaz Graham and Jorge Diaz Graham.
