Norfolk State's Diamond Johnson receives an invitation to WNBA training camp
Hailing from Norfolk State, Diamond Johnson Seizes Her WNBA Opportunity
prepared to prove her mettle and snatch her ticket to the WNBA. The Minnesota Lynx recently announced via their social media that Johnson will join them for a training camp contract.
Johnson's shocking exclusion from the WNBA Draft last Monday was a topic of discussion, considering her considerable contributions to Norfolk State, where she, alongside fellow teammate Kierra Wheeler, pushed the Spartans to set a program record of 30 wins, an immaculate conference record, and clinching the MEAC regular season and tournament titles. This conference powerhouse boasted an unblemished run with 19 consecutive wins leading up to the NCAA Tournament, a streak sparked in late December with a victory at Auburn.
Johnson showcased her unparalleled skills in Norfolk State's March Madness opener against Maryland, scoring 18 points and sinking four three-pointers in a 82-69 loss. Her dynamic playmaking and popularity extended beyond the Norfolk State campus, earning multiple awards for her standout performances. Johnson also found herself on various watch lists and recognized for her on-court prowess.
Initially a five-star recruit in the 2020 class, Johnson's career began with all-star caliber potential, sharing the spotlight with future stars such as Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and Kamilla Cardoso. Her journey saw her stops at Rutgers and North Carolina State before her eventual landing at Norfolk State. At each leg of the journey, Johnson displayed five-star talent.
As a freshman at Rutgers, she shone brightly, averaging 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Her stellar play earned her spots on the All-Big Ten Second Team and the All-Freshman Team. In her brief stint at North Carolina State, she captured the 2022 ACC Sixth Woman of the Year as a sophomore. In her junior season, despite being sidelined for 22 games due to an ankle injury, she still claimed second-team All-ACC honors, averaging 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while maintaining a 41.6% field goal percentage.
Johnson then transitioned to Norfolk State and continued her streak of success. During her time with the program, she led the Spartans to consecutive conference championships and subsequent March Madness appearances, defending themselves against Stanford and Maryland. Johnson now stands in a position to secure a spot on the Minnesota Lynx roster, contributing to last year's WNBA Championship runner-up.
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Diamond Johnson: A Statistical Glimpse and Accolades
In her career, Johnson concluded with an impressive 15.7 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game. She scored a striking 3.3 steals per game during her final two seasons at Norfolk State [3][2]. Johnson's field goal percentage hovered at 44.6%, showcasing her reliability as a scorer [3].
Throughout her career, Johnson amassed several awards on her path to the WNBA, including the MEAC Tournament MVP in 2024, MEAC Player of the Year, and All-MEAC First Team and All-Defensive Team [3]. Additionally, she garnered the ACC Sixth Player of the Year and Second-team All-ACC honors at NC State, and the Second-team All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades at Rutgers [3][2]. Johnson even captivated audiences with her 21-point performance and MVP title at the 2025 Women's College All-Star Game [5].
Johnson's training camp with the Minnesota Lynx kicks off April 27, where she aims to cement her spot in the coveted WNBA league [2].
[1] Norfolk State star Diamond Johnson signs with Minnesota Lynx, Sarah Khooshabani. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-womens/article/2025-04-12/norfolk-state-star-diamond-johnson-signs-minnesota-lynx-training-camp
[2] Spartans' Diamond Johnson snubbed in WNBA Draft, headed to Minnesota Lynx training camp, Alex Vejar. (2025, April 12). Retrieved from https://www.dailypress.com/sports/norfolkstatedailypress2/spartans/article_2c9a1d7c-3cf9-11eb-96a7-be8c498d1315.html
[3] Diamond Johnson: Career Statistics and Achievements, Norfolk State University Athletics Department. (2025, March 31). Retrieved from https://norseathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/releases/20230328cye9gl
[4] MEAC Players Roll James I. Harris All-Conference Team and Awards, Romeo Crenshaw. (2025, March 9). Retrieved from https://themeac.com/2025/03/09/meac-players-roll-james-i-harris-all-conference-team-and-awards/
[5] Diamond Johnson Wins MVP at All-Star Game, North Carolina State University Athletics Department. (2025, March 24). Retrieved from https://gostateit.com/north-carolina-state/sports/wbkb/announcements/diamond-johnson-wins-mvp-at-all-star-game
- Diamond Johnson, hailing from Norfolk State, is set to attend a training camp with the Minnesota Lynx, targeting a spot on their WNBA roster.
- Last Monday, Johnson was a surprising omission from the WNBA Draft, despite her impressive performances at Norfolk State, where she and her teammate Kierra Wheeler established a program record of 30 wins and clinched the MEAC regular season and tournament titles.
- Johnson's WNBA journey began at Norfolk State, where she led the Spartans to two consecutive conference championships and March Madness appearances, showcasing her dynamic playmaking and popularity.
- Ultimately, Johnson's exceptional skills earned her a training camp contract with the Minnesota Lynx, the runner-up in last year's WNBA Championship.
- In her career, Johnson has accumulated numerous awards, including the MEAC Tournament MVP in 2024, MEAC Player of the Year, All-MEAC First Team, All-Defensive Team, ACC Sixth Player of the Year, and Second-team All-ACC honors, along with Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades.
