BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado freshman guard Isaiah Johnson plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from On3, creating a major offseason storyline for Tad Boyle’s program just days before the Buffaloes are scheduled to play Oklahoma in the College Basketball Crown on April 1 in Las Vegas.
Johnson was one of the clearest bright spots of Colorado’s 2025-26 season. The freshman guard averaged 16.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, leading the Buffs in scoring while emerging as one of the most dynamic young guards in the Big 12.
His freshman season was not just productive. It was historic. Earlier this month, Johnson broke Colorado’s freshman scoring record, passing Alec Burks’ previous mark of 512 points. Colorado also announced on March 9 that Johnson earned honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition while also being named the league’s co-Player of the Week and co-Newcomer of the Week.
That is why this portal news lands as such a big hit for Colorado. Johnson was not simply another young rotation piece. He looked like a foundational player for the Buffs moving forward, and his reported departure would leave a significant hole in both the backcourt and the program’s long-term rebuild. This is the kind of move that changes the tone of an offseason fast.
Colorado is still set to face Oklahoma in the College Basketball Crown next week, but Johnson’s reported portal decision now becomes one of the biggest questions surrounding the program heading into the postseason and beyond. For a team trying to build momentum into next year, losing a freshman who already rewrote part of the record book would be a major setback.
