Myles Johnson announces transfer to UCLA
The Rutgers men's basketball team continues to see its roster change in the offseason as junior center Myles Johnson announced on Friday that he will be transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he will play in the upcoming basketball season.
The announcement, which was made via his Twitter account, means the Long Beach native will be returning to Southern California after an invaluable four years in Piscataway, where he played a key role in the historic turnaround of the men’s basketball program.
“I want to thank (head men's basketball coach Steve) Pikiell and the entire staff of Rutgers (men’s) basketball, not only for the development of me as a player but also as a person,” Johnson said in a previous tweet that announced his decision to transfer. “I’m happy I was given the opportunity to be a part of the evolution of Rutgers (men’s) basketball and glad that I now have countless great memories to look back upon.”
In his three seasons on the court for the Scarlet Knights (16-12, 10-10), Johnson developed into one of the best big men in the Big Ten. This previous season, Johnson averaged 8 points per game to go along with rebounds and blocks per game that both ranked near the top of the conference. Johnson also earned Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors for his efforts last season for Rutgers.
“One of the best young men I’ve ever coached,” Pikiell said. “Excited for him to pursue his options — and these are options he’s made for himself. This goes beyond basketball. I’m happy for him and his family.”
With two years of college eligibility remaining, Johnson will now join a UCLA team that captured the hearts of the nation during this year’s NCAA Tournament. As a No. 11 seed, the Bruins (22-10, 13-6) reached the Final Four before falling to Gonzaga on a game-winning three-pointer in overtime.
In addition to joining the Bruins on the court, Johnson will enroll in the school’s distinguished Samueli School of Engineering after he graduates from Rutgers this spring. Johnson was also accepted into Stanford’s School of Engineering before ultimately deciding on UCLA.
“At the end of the day, it just came down to what I’m really looking for in grad school,” Johnson said. “I’ve always been balancing academics and basketball my whole life, so UCLA, I feel like, has a greater balance of the two.”
As for the Knights, Johnson is the third player from the program’s NCAA Tournament roster last season to officially transfer to a different school. Those who have joined Johnson include junior forward Mamadou Doucoure, who transferred to La Salle, and junior guard Montez Mathis, who recently announced his commitment to St. John’s.
Meanwhile, senior guard Geo Baker and junior guard/forward Ron Harper Jr. have both decided to enter their names into the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining their college eligibility. Fifth-year senior guard Jacob Young has followed this same approach to the NBA Draft but has entered the transfer portal.
“If you look at (Johnson) when he first came in, I wouldn’t have seen what he is like now,” Baker said, who has been Johnson’s roommate for the past four years. “I have no idea how the coaches saw that vision. They’ve done a great job of just continuing to develop us and make sure we understand the game, while also developing us as people.”
For updates on the Rutgers men's basketball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
