NC State point guard Johnson says he'll return for senior season

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- N.C. State's basketball program got a boost Friday when point guard Markell Johnson announced that he would return to Raleigh for his senior season.

Johnson, a 6-1, 175-pound guard from Cleveland, Ohio, had entered the NBA draft process after the 2018-19 season but ultimately decided to return to school.

"It has always been my dream to play in the NBA and it still is," Johnson wrote on social media, but he went on to say he'd be returning to the Wolfpack.

Johnson missed several games after a hard fall midway through the season and appeared to struggle with his rhythm and conditioning in the first few games after his return.

Still, he proved an indispensable part of the Wolfpack's campaign and finished the season averaging 12. 6 points per game with a season-high 27 points in a win against highly-rated Auburn.

"I'm excited about what we have returning and ready to join my teammates to get NC State back to the NCAA tournament," Johnson wrote.

The Wolfpack played in the NIT last year after being snubbed for the NCAA tournament. The Pack finished the season 24-12.