On Tuesday it appears that Indiana guard Robert Johnson who declared early for the NBA Draft will be withdrawing and returning to Bloomington this fall.
In April, Indiana basketball had four players who declared early for the NBA Draft. At the time, none of them had truly committed to an agent and not returning to school. As we get closer to the draft, we found out that three of the four players would be staying in the Draft this summer.
One Indiana player still holding out is soon-to-be senior guard Robert Johnson. Johnson was not invited to the NBA Combine in Chicago, IL this past week and is likely to go undrafted this summer. It’s not to say that Johnson couldn’t work his way into a professional league, it might not be the NBA.
According to multiple outlets, Robert Johnson has decided to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft this summer and return to Indiana. FanRag Sports was the first outlet to confirm that Johnson would be withdrawing from the NBA Draft by his father. Although his father may believe this, Johnson took to Twitter to let people know that his decision is not yet made.
https://twitter.com/RoJoJr/status/864493376468647936
Among the replies to Robert Johnson on Twitter includes teammate James Blackmon Jr. who decided to stay in the draft. While it is not 100-percent confirmed whether or not Johnson will be back with the Hoosiers, one can speculate it is likely.
The Hoosiers would benefit plenty from Johnson returning for his senior season. Following in the footsteps of former four-year star Yogi Ferrell, Johnson could make a true impact and elevate his draft stock. It would also fill the hole Indiana might have this season with reliable, starting guards.
Johnson finished the season averaging 12.8 points, 4.4. rebounds and 2.5 assists. He shot 45-percent from the field and 37-percent from the arc. I would imagine that Archie Miller would be thrilled to have Johnson back for another season. Johnson would play a key role in the leadership for a young Hoosier team transitioning into a new era with coach Miller.
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The projected starters should Robert Johnson return would include the senior guard, Josh Newkirk, Juwan Morgan, Colin Hartman and De’Ron Davis. It could keep Indiana from slipping in the Big Ten Conference. If the Hoosiers end up without Johnson, players like Curtis Jones and Devonte Green will see a significant boost in their roles.