Former Florida, Kansas State wing Keyontae Johnson cleared for 2023 NBA Draft
It’s been an incredibly long road for former Kansas State and Florida wing Keyontae Johnson to even be an a prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft — or the NBA draft at all. After the then-Gator collapsed on the court during a game in 2020, it was unclear if he would ever play high-level basketball again.
But after resurrecting his college career at Kansas State, Johnson declared for the 2023 NBA Draft. And on Friday, the NBA’s Fitness to Play panel cleared him as healthy, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This decision paves the way for teams to potentially select him in the draft the coming draft.
Johnson was poised to be a key piece for the 20202-21 Florida men’s basketball team when, during the fourth game of the season, he collapsed on the court. He’d miss the remainder of that season and almost all of the 2021-22 season dealing with the heart-related issue.
After graduating from Florida, he transferred to Kansas State where in his lone season he helped lead the Wildcats to the Elite Eight. He averaged 17.4 points per game for the Wildcats and started all 36 games. He’ll likely be a second round selection or get signed as an undrafted free agent.
Johnson marks the anniversary of his collapse as ‘Rebirth Day’
More than two years ago while playing for Florida, Johnson collapsed during a regular season game on Dec. 13, 2020.
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After his eye-opening medical ordeal, Johnson has made a full recovery and now plays a key role for a Top 15 ranked Kansas State team. He now refers to that date — Dec. 13 — as his ‘Rebirth Day.’
“It’s what he’s dubbed his ‘Rebirth Day.’ That was the two-year anniversary of the day he collapsed,” ESPN sideline reporter Kris Budden relayed during the first half of the Kansas-Kansas State game on Tuesday. “And the perspective that changed when he woke up, the new outlook on life.”
The Kansas State men’s basketball program also played a role in celebrating the day for Johnson in 2022, with his teammates surprising him with a rendition of a happy birthday tune — although much different from the traditional tune.
“We all just want to be here to celebrate this thing with you. It’s amazing to see what God can do. And I’m thankful for the opportunity to live life with you,” head coach Jerome Tang said to Johnson in the video. “And happy birthday, many more to come!”