▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Johnson ▁signed ▁a ▁National ▁Let ter ▁of ▁Intent ▁to ▁play ▁college ▁basketball ▁for ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁M emph is . ▁Co ach ▁Josh ▁Past ner ▁rec ru ited ▁Johnson ▁as ▁a ▁replacement ▁for ▁Will ▁Bart on ▁after ▁it ▁became ▁clear ▁that ▁Bart on ▁would ▁leave ▁early ▁for ▁the ▁professional ▁ranks . ▁Johnson ▁was ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁junior ▁college ▁players ▁in ▁the ▁nation ▁but ▁a ▁ris ky ▁rec ruit ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁criminal ▁record . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Past ner ▁set ▁a ▁unique ▁mid night ▁cur f ew ▁and ▁routine ▁academic ▁monitoring . ▁ ▁Com ing ▁into ▁his ▁junior ▁season , ▁Johnson ▁was ▁susp ended ▁for ▁three ▁games ▁by ▁the ▁NCAA ▁for ▁receiving ▁imper miss ible ▁benefits . ▁As ▁a ▁junior ▁at ▁M emph is ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 – 1 3 , ▁Johnson ▁saw ▁action ▁in ▁ 3 3 ▁games ▁and ▁made ▁ 2 6 ▁starts ▁while ▁aver aging ▁ 1 0 . 4 ▁points , ▁ 4 . 6 ▁reb ounds ▁and ▁ 3 . 5 ▁ass ists ▁per ▁game . ▁He ▁subsequently ▁earned ▁third - team ▁All - Con ference ▁USA ▁and ▁N ABC ▁Division ▁I ▁All - D istrict ▁ 1 1 ▁second ▁team ▁hon ors . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁career - high ▁ 2 1 ▁points ▁in ▁an ▁ 8 4 - 5 8 ▁victory ▁over ▁Ohio . ▁In ▁the ▁team ' s ▁season - ending ▁loss ▁to ▁Michigan