Meechie Johnson gives candid take on unprecedented transfer back to South Carolina

Meechie Johnson shocked fans on Tuesday when he announced he is transferring to South Carolina. Johnson began his career at Ohio State, where he spent two years. However, ahead of the 2022-23 season, Johnson transferred to South Carolina.

Following two standout season with the Gamecocks, Johnson announced his homecoming and transferred back to OSU. Now, in his sixth and final year of eligibility, Johnson will be a Gamecock once again. The oddity of the situation isn’t lost on the veteran guard.

“Lol i get it … Going back to the same 2 schools twice,” Johnson wrote on X. “This isn’t what i imagined nor thought my career would be like but I serve a perfect merciful and graceful god and i know this is his journey for me. #UnheardOf.”

Johnson started the first 10 games of the 2024-25 season at Ohio State before taking a leave of absence due to “personal matters.” He didn’t play again for the Buckeyes.

He started in all 10 of his appearances for the Buckeyes this season. Johnson averaged 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 28.9 minutes per game while shooting 35.6% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc.

Johnson’s 9.1 points per game were his lowest in three seasons. In the 2023-24 season at South Carolina, the 6-foot-2 standout averaged a career-high 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Johnson was pivotal to South Carolina’s unexpected 13-5 record in conference play that season. The Gamecocks made the NCAA Tournament that year for the first time since the program’s run to the Final Four in 2017.

Now, Johnson will look to help South Carolina get back on the right track after it finished in last place in the SEC standings this season. He is third player South Carolina has added via the transfer portal this offseason.

Gamecocks head coach Lamont Paris also reeled in North Dakota transfer Treysen Eaglestaff, who was listed as the No. 40 player in the transfer portal, according to On3’s Transfer Portal Player Rankings. Eaglestaff averaged 18.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game this season, and had a 41-point outing against Alabama.

South Carolina will have more work to do this offseason. The Gamecocks have already lost four players to the transfer portal and will lose five seniors this offseason, as well. Only time will tell if Meechie Johnson returning to South Carolina will be a beneficial move for both parties.

The post Meechie Johnson gives candid take on unprecedented transfer back to South Carolina appeared first on On3.