The weekend in college hoops 🏀

An uneventful Week 0 of college football may have increased your longings for college hoops. While you’re thinking about the upcoming season, pick up The Almanac for the presale price of $15.99. The cost increases in less than a month, so be sure to take advantage of the deal.

Let's get to the news.

1. Dior’s out the door

Ah, nothing like a good ol’ Friday evening news dump to start your weekend.

(Unless you’re our own Tristan Freeman or a fan of his beloved team.)

Johnson’s story is one of the most confounding in recent memory. A one-time 5-star recruit in the class of 2022, his stock gradually plummeted due to a combination of off-court drama, controversies and poor decisions. For instance, he attended 10 high schools and committed to (and de-committed from) two other universities before deciding on the Panthers.

Most recently, he redshirted at Pitt following an indefinite suspension for domestic abuse charges (George Michalowski of Pittsburgh Sports Now gives the full breakdown here.) However, Johnson traveled with the program on its foreign tour to Barcelona and the Canary Islands, indicating he would play this upcoming season.

Two weeks later, his Pitt career is over.

Johnson always presented a flight risk. But his talent made him a logical gamble for coach Jeff Capel. The 6-3 guard’s commitment came when the Panthers were desperate to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2016. After doing so last season, he would’ve helped them on their quest to return to the Big Dance.

Johnson is a ballhandler who creates for himself and is a potential on-ball pest thanks to his length and instincts. With his departure, the Panthers will rely more heavily on Rhode Island transfer Ishmael Leggett and freshmen Jaland Lowe and Carlton Carrington.

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2. The latest on Bronny James

Another acclaimed guard made headlines this weekend but in a more positive light. Per a statement from Bronny James’ family, medical professionals feel confident that they’ve identified the “probable cause” of James’ cardiac arrest last month.

It’s a welcome first step toward recovery. Of course, the existence of the heart condition isn’t good news. But at least Bronny and his family can rest a little easier knowing that the issue has been diagnosed — and that it “can and will be treated.”

Hopefully, Bronny can fully recover and make his collegiate debut this year. USC looked the part of a Top 15 team in its exhibition games in the Balkans, buoyed by freshman point guard Isaiah Collier and fifth-year combo Boogie Ellis. A healthy James would make that backcourt one of the two or three best units in the nation.

Nevertheless, if James doesn’t return to action this season, no one will blame him. The physical and mental toll seems unimaginably challenging to work through. We’ll be rooting for him in whatever unfolds.

3. Michigan finds that somebody

For the second straight offseason, Juwan Howard landed an international forward to round out his roster. Last year, it was Lebanon’s Youssef Khayat; this year, it was Argentina’s Lee Aaliya.

The 6-9 big man recently received clearance from the NCAA to play college basketball and swiftly committed to Michigan. He’s an above-the-rim athlete with a penchant for highlight plays, whether he’s blocking shots, crashing the glass or catching lobs. Aaliya could also develop into a reliable 3-point shooter over time.

Per ESPN, the young Argentinian burst onto the scene in July when he averaged 17.1 points, nine rebounds and 2.1 blocks in the FIBA U19 World Cup. It’s a nice get for Michigan, especially this deep into the offseason (and it continues a national trend of international additions). However, Aaliya will likely come off of the pine in Year 1 in Ann Arbor. He faces stiff competition in Tarris Reed and Olivier Nkamhoua in the frontcourt. As a matter of fact…Michigan might be set for the next half-decade.

Other roster happenings:

• Marcus Adams won’t play for Gonzaga after all.

• Seton Hall landed Turkish big man Arda Ozdogan.

• Veteran big man Malcolm Dandridge withdrew from the portal and will head back to Memphis.

Beyond Bronny

We noted Bronny James’ health update and that there may be a possibility of him playing this season. But there’s more to USC than just one famous son. They’ve got one of the nation’s top recruiting classes and a solid groups of incoming transfers. How will Andy Enfield make it all mesh?

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Links as you cycle through fantasy football mock drafts

• Tommy Lloyd added former NBA coach David Blatt to his staff.

• Cal, Stanford and SMU’s ACC hopes are not dead yet. A new financial proposal is on the table in hopes to grease the wheels.

• The WCC released its conference schedule.

Thanks for reading The Field of 68 Daily! If you have a news tip or feedback, email us at [email protected].