Four-star guard commits to Pitt
Jeff Capel and Pitt had one more scholarship remaining on the 2022-23 roster. On Monday, they used it to secure one of the top recruits in the country.
Dior Johnson, a four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class, announced on social media that he’ll be joining the Panthers.
Johnson — the No. 37 overall player in the cycle, according to 247 Sports — is the highest-rated prospect of Capel’s four-year tenure. The 6-foot-3 talent out of Southern California Academy also is ranked seventh nationally among point guards in the class.
Johnson’s decision ends what has been a lengthy recruiting process. The New York native previously was committed to Syracuse and Oregon. He actually signed with the Ducks, but was released from his letter of intent late last week. On Sunday, Johnson released a list of his top three options (Pitt, Washington State and Mississippi State) before committing to the Panthers.
Soccer
Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan were included on the U.S. roster for next month’s CONCACAF W Championship, which will determine four of the region’s teams in the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Rapinoe and Morgan have not been on a U.S. roster since October as coach Vlatko Andonovski evaluated younger players in the run-up to qualifying. The United States is the two-time defending World Cup champion.
Pro football
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard signed his restricted free-agent tender. Lazard hadn’t signed the tender as of last week, when he was the only Packers player not to report for the team’s mandatory minicamp. Lazard will make $3.986 million this year and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the upcoming season.
Hockey
A Winnipeg brewery said it will give Barry Trotz free beer for life if he returns to his native province to coach the Jets. Little Brown Jug Brewing Company and a local sports talk show launched the campaign , several months into the NHL club’s coaching search. Trotz became available a month ago when he was fired by the New York Islanders.
• The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to a four-year contract worth $8 million.
Pro basketball
The Memphis Grizzlies are making sure to keep coach Taylor Jenkins around after he led them to their highest playoff seed (No. 2, West) in franchise history. The Grizzlies announced they signed Jenkins to a undisclosed multiyear contract extension.
Tennis
Rio de Janeiro Olympics gold medalist Monica Puig announced her retirement from professional tennis at age 28 via a post on social media. Puig became the first athlete to win gold for Puerto Rico in any sport at an Olympics with her women’s singles triumph in 2016 in Brazil.