Isaiah Johnson delivered a freshman season for the ages with the Colorado men's basketball team, leaving an indelible mark before deciding to enter the transfer portal. This move, initially reported by On3 Sports, marks the end of Johnson's brief but impactful stint with the Buffaloes.
Johnson shattered Alec Burks’ record for most points in a single season, racking up 540 points over 32 games. His scoring prowess was on full display when he dropped a season-high 28 points against No. 2 Arizona, closing out the regular season with authority.
Despite being under-recruited out of Los Angeles, with Colorado offering his only power-conference scholarship according to 247Sports, Johnson wasted no time making his presence felt. He kicked off his college career with a bang, scoring 24 points in the season opener against Montana State, the first of nine 20-point performances that led the team.
His impressive stats earned him an honorable mention in the All-Big 12 honors, boasting an average of 16.9 points per game-ranking fifth among Buffs players during Tad Boyle's 16-year tenure as head coach. Johnson's shooting accuracy was notable, with a .486 overall shooting percentage, .378 from beyond the arc, and an .831 free throw percentage. He also maintained a solid assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.09, with 96 assists placing him sixth among CU freshmen.
Initially coming off the bench, Johnson's talent secured him a starting role for the latter half of the season. The potential partnership with Barrington Hargress promised to be a formidable backcourt duo in the Big 12. However, Coach Boyle now faces the challenge of filling this significant gap through the transfer portal.
Reflecting on his future after the Buffs' early exit from the Big 12 Conference tournament against Oklahoma State, Johnson remarked, “I’m just going to take my time away from basketball this offseason for a little bit. I’ll talk to my friends and family and see what it is going forward.”