Norfolk State Alum Diamond Johnson Chases WNBA Dream Through New Upshot League
Former Norfolk State star Diamond Johnson finished as the second-leading scorer in the inaugural Upshot League season after being waived by the Minnesota Lynx. She was the only former HBCU player in the new domestic pro league.
Diamond Johnson, the 2025 MEAC Player of the Year at Norfolk State, used her summer in the new Upshot League to prove she belongs in the WNBA, according to Andscape. Johnson was waived by the Minnesota Lynx just two months after her college honor.
Playing for Upshot's Greensboro Groove, Johnson finished the league's inaugural season ranked second in scoring at 16.0 points per game and first in steals at 2.2 per game. "It's a very gritty league," she said.
Johnson said she hopes her performance highlights HBCU talent. "My goal was to shine my light on HBCU players," she said.