Puff Johnson eyeing return in trip to Portland

The UNC basketball forward will look to cement himself in the Tar Heels' rotation during his third season in Chapel Hill.

After missing the season's first two games, North Carolina forward Puff Johnson is progressing towards a return to the Tar Heel lineup.

In his press conference on Monday ahead of tomorrow's matchup with Gardner-Webb, Hubert Davis detailed the future for the junior wing.

"He practiced yesterday and had limited reps today," said Davis. "He's been given a full go in terms of being able to practice fully. My anticipation is for him to practice this entire week and be ready to go when we go out to Portland."

The Tar Heels' trip to Portland for the Phil Knight Invitational will begin on Nov. 24th after home games against the Bulldogs and James Madison.

This would put Johnson missing just four games before returning in the season's first month.

Johnson will be expected to hit the court for the first time this season, making his first appearance since his career performance in the National Championship Game. In 18 minutes, Johnson recorded a career-high five field goals and six rebounds.

His addition to the lineup will provide much needed depth on the wing, including an outside shooting presence.

With both Johnson and freshman Jalen Washington working towards a return, North Carolina could receive even more depth in the frontcourt.

The Tar Heels will look to improve to 3-0 on Tuesday when they host Gardner-Webb at 8 p.m.