Meechie Johnson is set to enter the transfer portal following the South Carolina Gamecocks’ 87-73 loss to the Oregon Ducks in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
His tenure with the Gamecocks will come to an end after just two seasons with the program. Joe Tipton of On3 Sports shared the news, tweeting:
“NEWS: South Carolina’s leading scorer, Meechie Johnson, will enter the transfer portal, he told @On3sports . The 6-2 guard averaged 14.1 PTS, 4.1 REB, and 2.9 AST this season.”
Check out Joe Tipton’s tweet below:
Johnson joined the Gamecocks as a three-star prospect in the 2022 transfer class.
In two seasons with the program, he averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.1 blocks per game while shooting 38.1% from the field, 32.4% from three-point range and 77.8% from the free-throw line.
He spent the previous two seasons as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes, whom he joined as a four-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. Johnson spent two seasons at Ohio State, however, his playing time was sporadic.
He averaged 3.2 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.1 blocks in just 13.0 minutes per game while shooting 31.9% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range and 60.0% from the free-throw line.
Here’s a look at where Johnson could land below.
5 Meechie Johnson landing spots
#1: Ohio State Buckeyes
Meechie Johnson spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes. While things did not work out with the previous coaching staff, they are no longer in place.
The senior guard could look to move closer to home for his final season of eligibility.
#2: Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans will lose Tyson Walker, who has led the team in scoring in each of the past two seasons, as he has exhausted his college eligibility.
They will likely look for a veteran guard to replace him. Michigan State was one of the final schools in the mix to land Meechie Johnson, and Tom Izzo could reignite that interest.
#3: Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are yet another Big Ten program that recruited Meechie Johnson and could lose their leading scorer.
While AJ Storr has three years of collegiate eligibility remaining, he is reportedly mulling all of his options, including entering the 2024 NBA Draft or the transfer portal. Even if Storr does return, the two veteran guards would be able to share the backcourt.
#4: Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are another Big Ten program that was involved in Meechie Johnson’s recruitment.
While they have had several key players announce their decision to return, they could look to add a veteran guard to help their offense and backcourt in particular that struggled last season.
#5: USC Trojans
Meechie Johnson has a strong relationship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, as his father has a long history with the future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer.
While Bronny James’ 2024 NBA Draft status remains unclear, the Trojans appear set to lose his backcourt mates, Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier, who were also the team’s top two scorers.
Johnson could look to share the backcourt with Bronny, where he will have an added spotlight.
