Syracuse basketball commit Dior Johnson needs to get himself on track

Syracuse basketball commit Dior Johnson must find a new high school as soon as possible, according to beat writer Mike Waters.

Whether he ever comes to the Hill or not, Syracuse basketball 2022 commit Dior Johnson is currently in a perilous situation and has to get himself back on track academically, according to veteran beat writer Mike Waters.

Waters, who has covered the Orange for many years for Syracuse.com and knows the team as well as anybody, discussed Johnson in a recent interview as part of The Juice on the Cuse podcast.

Waters says he has unsuccessfully tried to connect with Johnson for several weeks. The 6-foot-3 Johnson, a five-star point guard in his junior season of high school, is in California rehabbing a stress fracture in his foot, according to social-media accounts.

About a month ago, Johnson left the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., but he had not withdrawn from the powerhouse prep-school program.

More recently, Johnson’s name was removed from the roster on the Oak Hill Academy Web site, and Waters confirmed that Johnson is done at the Oak Hill Academy. Waters has reported that a few other prep schools have shown interest in Johnson, but to date he isn’t enrolled in a new school.

Since Johnson is in California amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, it’s not so easy for Syracuse basketball coaches to go out there and see him. But the Orange coaching staff, understandably, wants to help Johnson find a new school and get on track academically.

At some point, if Johnson isn’t in school, it could become a real problem, Waters said on the podcast. Johnson could ultimately find himself academically ineligible, and that may put his possible career in Central New York in jeopardy.

What’s more, as some ‘Cuse fans fear, Johnson could eventually head straight to the professional ranks, opting for the NBA’s G League rather than college.

However, if Johnson is academically ineligible to play for Syracuse basketball or any other collegiate program, he loses his business leverage with the G League or other professional leagues, Waters notes.

If the G League knows that it’s not competing with the Orange for Johnson’s services, then why would the G League dole out a ton of money to him? That’s a really excellent point which Waters has made.