Pitt freshman guard Dior Johnson is set to return to the team, the school announced Wednesday, but he isn’t likely to see the floor in a game anytime soon.
“Pitt freshman guard Dior Johnson returned to practice this week and is expected to redshirt the 2022-23 season,” school officials said in a press release.
Johnson had been suspended indefinitely since his arrest on domestic abuse charges Oct. 6. In December, he pled guilty to misdemeanor charges of simple assault and strangulation and was sentenced to probation for one year as well as various counseling and treatments.
At that time, Pitt officials said that the basketball program and athletic department would continue following University protocols regarding his suspension and reinstatement.
Johnson’s return to practice indicates that those protocols have been satisfied.
A four-star prospect who ranked as the No. 41 overall recruit and the No. 7 point guard in the class of 2022, Johnson was considered to be among the best guards in the country as he rose through the ranks of high school basketball.
He followed a circuitous path to Pitt, with a commitment to Syracuse and a signing with Oregon standing out before he landed with the Panthers last June.
While Johnson has not been practicing or participating in any team activities since his arrest, Pitt has been showing signs of promise through the first 13 games of the season. The Panthers are 9-4 overall and 2-0 in ACC play with both conference wins coming in road games (the first at N.C. State; the second last Tuesday at Syracuse).
They will be back on the court Friday for a noon tipoff against North Carolina at the Petersen Events Center.