Clemson Basketball Guard Butta Johnson Enters Transfer Portal

The Clemson Tigers lost their second player to the transfer portal on Wednesday morning, but it’s an interesting case compared to most transfers.

Butta Johnson entered the transfer portal on Wednesday, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. However, he will need to get an eligibility waiver to play in the 2026-27 season.

A former UAB transfer who moved to the Tigers last spring, Johnson averaged 6.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and shot the three at a 35.5% clip last season. He was Clemson’s on-ball guard most of the time, starting in nine of its 35 games in 2025-26.

The Huntsville, Alabama native shared a backcourt with the likes of Dillon Hunter, Jestin Porter and Ace Buckner, being a mentor for the younger guys in the room. Brought in as a bench piece who can hit the three, he became a fan-favorite from his smooth jumpshot.

He finished with 10 points or more in three of Clemson’s last five games, being one of head coach Brad Brownell’s go-to players down the stretch of the season. In his final game as a Tiger, he finished with 11 points in the loss to Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.

It was expected that Johnson would not be back on the team next season, playing more than 29 games in each season that he had in college. However, with new potential rules coming in about granting fifth years, it could give the guard an extra year of eligibility, wherever he ends up next.

The Tigers saw this last season with two players who had already exhausted their four years of eligibility: Jaeden Zackery and Ian Schieffelin. Both were denied before Schieffelin went to join the Clemson football team this past season.

Because of this, changing circumstances would be the only way for Johnson to have that extra season of eligibility. However, with college athletics constantly changing, it’s worth a shot to pick up an extra year in college and another chance to prove himself at a Power Four school.

Brownell needed guards anyway, with Buckner, Zac Foster, and incoming freshmen Harris Reynolds and Amare James as the only four who are currently on the roster. Perhaps another veteran, like Johnson, could help the room going into next season, and Clemson will look to do that over the next two weeks.

Clemson Tigers on SI will remain updated with Johnson’s situation, as well as all the other transfer portal pieces, with our transfer portal tracker.