Former Norfolk State star Diamond Johnson was among several players released by the Minnesota Lynx following their first preseason game against the Chicago Sky on Tuesday evening. Per a statement by the Lynx, Johnson was released alongside forwards Dalayah Daniels, Ajae Petty and Camryn Taylor.

Johnson was arguably the most surprising omission from last month's WNBA Draft. Johnson, alongside fellow Spartans star Kierra Wheeler, helped lead the team to a program-record 30 wins, a perfect conference record, and the MEAC regular season and tournament titles. The Spartans, who were undefeated in conference play, won 19 consecutive games entering the NCAA Tournament, with the winning streak starting in late December with a victory at Auburn.

Johnson also showed her immense skill in Norfolk State's March Madness first-round matchup against Maryland, in which she finished with 18 points and four three-pointers made in her team's 82-69 loss. Johnson proved herself as a dynamic shot creator and was on the radar of the larger college basketball world, winning numerous awards in-season for her play and was named to several awards watch lists.

Article Continues Below
More HBCU News
Rapper Plies gives a huge shoutout to Alabama A&M coach Dawn Thornton, who's team has surged to the top of HBCU basketball.
Dawn Thornton, Alabama A&M land former Pac-12 assistantRandall Barnes ·
Norfolk State Spartans guard Diamond Johnson (3) takes a shot over Maryland Terrapins forward Christina Dalce (15) and guard Sarah Te-Biasu (1) during the first half.
Diamond Johnson makes next move following WNBA releaseRandall Barnes ·
Grambling State Athletics partners with Influxer to empower HBCU student-athletes in capitalizing on their NIL.
Grambling ends formal relationship with Grambling University FoundationRandall Barnes ·
The CIAA is gearing up for its 79th Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament, which is set to take place in late February and early March
CIAA tournament staying in Baltimore until 2029Kiya Wimbush-Robinson ·
Tennessee State plans to renovate the 71-year-old Hale Stadium, which has been sparsely used in recent times
Tennessee State secures $96 million to support operationsKiya Wimbush-Robinson ·
Featured image Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith eye-opening response to Memphis mayor invitationRandall Barnes ·

The talented guard started her career as a five-star recruit in the same 2020 class as Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and Kamilla Cardoso. She was, in fact, ranked the sixth best player in that class. While in her college journey, she had stints at Rutgers and North Carolina State before eventually landing at Norfolk State. At each of her stops, she showed her five-star level talent.

As a freshman at Rutgers, she averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, earning spots on the All-Big Ten Second Team and the All-Freshman Team. At North Carolina State, she was named the 2022 ACC Sixth Woman of the Year as a sophomore. In her junior season, despite being limited to 22 games due to an ankle injury, she earned second-team All-ACC honors, averaging 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 41.6% from the field.

She then transferred to Norfolk State and continued her streak of success. During her time with the program, she led the Spartans to back-to-back conference championships and consecutive March Madness appearances, where the team played Stanford and Maryland, respectively.

Johnson’s training camp invite with the Lynx was a prime chance to showcase her talent and earn a spot on a competitive team. However, Minnesota decided to release her before she got the chance to play in Tuesday evening's preseason game. Despite being let go, Johnson still has the opportunity to pursue a professional career and land a spot on another WNBA team’s roster.