Graduate transfer Cameron Johnson will return to North Carolina for his final year of eligibilty in 2018-19, his father Gilbert confirmed to Inside Carolina on Wednesday afternoon.
"Cam decided that he wants to return to North Carolina for his senior season," Gilbert told Inside Carolina. "He recently underwent a minor procedure and is excited to play at UNC another year."
The team announced on Wednesday that Johnson had an arthroscopic hip procedure on Monday in Minneapolis, Min. It was Johnson's second surgery in six months; he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in November.
Johnson had already hinted that he would return to UNC in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette earlier this month.
“We all have a common goal and that’s the biggest one that pushes us — making it to the national championship,” Johnson told the Post-Gazette. “I haven’t been to one. I have one more year of eligibility. With that one year, I want nothing more than to win a national championship.”
Guard Cameron Johnson (13) shoots a 3-pointer against Pittsburgh on Feb. 3 in the Smith Center.
Johnson played in 26 games with 20 starts for UNC in the 2017-18 season. He averaged 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and scored a career-high 32 against Clemson on Jan. 30.
Johnson transferred to North Carolina from Pittsburgh, where he graduated in three years. Since he redshirted one of his three years at Pittsburgh while recovering from a right shoulder injury, he came to UNC with two years of eligibility.
In returning for his second year, Johnson will also be able to finish the two-year master's program for sports administration that was another one of the reasons he came to Chapel Hill.
