Pitt is standing firm on the transfer restrictions it placed on Cam Johnson, but that hasn’t stopped UNC from making another move.
The Panthers athletic department is requiring that Johnson, a graduate transfer, sit out a season if he picks an ACC program or any school on Pittsburgh’s 2017-18 schedule as his destination. If the 6-8 wing transfers anywhere else, he can play right away with two years of eligibility remaining.
However, Johnson reportedly began an official visit to UNC on Monday. The trip is his fifth and final official visit; Arizona, Kentucky, Oregon and UCLA hosted him for the others.
Johnson averaged 11.9 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the field this past season. He also made 41.5 percent of his 188 three-point attempts and pulled down 4.5 rebounds per contest for the Panthers.
The Moon Township, Pa., product could provide immediate help for a Tar Heel team losing three starters this offseason. One of those departures is ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson, who declared for the 2017 NBA Draft. With Jackson gone, Johnson would have a path to significant playing time.
North Carolina has two open scholarships it can use for the 2017-18 season.