NCAA Basketball: Ranking 10 contenders for top-50 guard Chris Johnson

8. Washington Huskies

Washington is a bit different compared to the first two because there is a future path for playing time. Transfer guards Sahvir Wheeler and Anthony Holland will be gone after next season, leaving Lamar transfer Nate Calmese and top-40 shooting guard, Wesley Yates. The issue here is that Coach Mike Hopkins may be on borrowed time if the program doesn’t make an NCAA Tournament appearance and that’s a risky spot for Johnson to join.

7. DePaul Blue Demons

The Blue Demons will have a fairly young roster, with Texas Tech transfer Elijah Fisher and Caleb Murphy set to be the lead guards. It’s a similar situation as Washington, with a roster that has a pathway but a head coach that could be on the hot seat soon. Tony Stubblefield is coming off a 10-win season at DePaul and the program isn’t moving in the right direction. It’s another sidelines risk the prospect would have to consider.

6. UCLA Bruins

With both Tyger Campbell and Amari Bailey gone, there’s an opportunity for former four-star guards, Will McClendon and Dylan Andrews, to get playing time. Plus, UCLA brought in two high-profile international guards this offseason in Jan Vide and Ilane Fibleuil. There are definitely a lot of unproven talent on the roster but if Johnson isn’t careful, he could end up on the bench if the foreigners are the real deal.

5. Memphis Tigers

The Tigers have a lot of guards on the roster thanks to the transfer portal. FSU guard Caleb Mills and former UCF ball-handler Jayhlon Young is part of the rotation, along with five-star commit, Mikey Williams. But with the status of Williams unknown due to legal issues, who knows if he’ll suit up next season. Plus, with how much the Memphis roster turns over, it’ll be hard for Johnson to know what situation he’s in on an annual basis.