Washington guard Koren Johnson plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal

Washington guard Koren Johnson plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Joe Tipton. Johnson has spent his first two collegiate seasons with the Huskies.

Johnson appeared in 31 games for Washington this season, making five starts. He averaged 11.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 44.1% from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore exploded for a career-high 25 points in Washington’s season-opener against Bellarmine. Johnson made smaller contributions in his debut campaign, averaging 6.8 points on 19.9 minutes per contest.

Koren Johnson played high school basketball at Wasatch Academy (WA), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 132 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Washington parts ways with head coach Mike Hopkins

While it’s not confirmed, Johnson’s decision was likely influenced by the program’s decision to fire head coach Mike Hopkins. On March 6, Washington announced it would be parting ways with Hopkins after the season.

Hopkins had one year remaining on his contract and will receive a nearly $3.1 million buyout as a result of the decision, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported. He has a 116-104 overall record with Washington, but hasn’t made an NCAA Tournament since 2019. The Huskies also went 58-71 in conference play under Hopkins.

“Mike has led the program with great integrity during his seven years at Washington, and remains a highly respected coach and one of the great gentlemen in the game,” UW athletics director Troy Dannen said in a statement. “Everyone at the university is grateful for his service, his commitment to the experience of our student-athletes and his leadership within the department. We wish Mike, Trisha and their children the very best in the future.”

Hopkins also released a statement on the decision, expressing his gratitude for his time in Seattle.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Head Basketball Coach at the University of Washington the last seven years,” Hopkins said. “Thank you to my players, staff, administration, fans, and alumni that have made this experience special and an awesome place for my family and me. The relationships we’ve made will last a lifetime.”

Now, both Johnson and Hopkins will look to find new homes. Over 75 college basketball players have already entered the transfer portal this spring. That number will only continue to grow as more teams see their seasons come to an end.