‘I'm still a Gator for life’: Keyontae Johnson talks facing former team

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Former Florida standout Keyontae Johnson will cross paths with his old team Saturday when he and No. 5 Kansas State host the Gators in Bramlage Coliseum.

Johnson averaged 14.0 points per game and 7.1 rebounds as an All-SEC performer at Florida in 2019-20 before being named the 2020-21 Preseason SEC Player of the Year.

Through his three full games in 2020-21, Johnson averaged 19.6 points and shot 64 percent. At that point, he was projected as a first-round pick for the 2021 NBA Draft.

Johnson scored 789 points in 72 career appearances for the Gators, but after he collapsed against FSU in Dec. 12, 2020, UF did not clear him to play with his heart condition.

“It was very tough, but they just had to what was best for them medically and what they felt was safe for me,” Johnson said of not being cleared by Florida. “There is no ill will or hate for them. I’m still a Gator for life.”

He returned to the team in February 2021 as a student-assistant coach and served in that role for the remainder of the year and last season, contributing in film, scout and on-court instruction.

Johnson made an honorary start on Senior Night, receiving the opening tip before exiting the court to a standing ovation. He graduated from UF with a degree in Education Sciences in Spring 2022.

Florida coach Todd Golden was hired last March and spent a few months around Johnson, who entered the transfer portal on May 1. Golden even inquired about Johnson rejoining the Gators.

“April and May, really enjoyed getting to know him. Thought he was a really impressive kid,” Golden said of Johnson. “I didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with him, but with him being around, working out in the gym, getting shots, just a really good young man.

“Obviously, him being a great talent and being in our program, I looked into whether there would be an opportunity for him to be here, but those decisions were made before I got here. He had his situation and if he wanted to continue playing it would probably have to be somewhere else. So, we continued to support him and helped him get graduated and finish strong. We’re happy for him that he’s had really good success.”

Johnson committed to Kansas State in August 2022 and has starred for the Wildcats this season. He’s averaging career highs with 18.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 33.7 minutes per game.

Now Johnson is matched up against the program he still considers family.

“It’s going to be amazing just playing against the team (where) I started college basketball,” Johnson said, “and just seeing my brothers back on the court and just having to have that feeling of a family base around me again.”

The Gators have five players on the current roster — Colin Castleton, Jason Jitoboh, Niels Lane, Alex Klatsky and Jack May — who were on the 2020-21 team and witnessed Johnson’s collapse, recovery and return. He also spent all of last season around Myreon Jones and Kowacie Reeves.

Johnson’s former teammates remain in touch and have been rooting him on this season whenever they can tune in.

“We all watch (his) games when we’re on the road in hotels, and we just cheer him on, ‘cause we know how much he cared about basketball. Everything he’s been through just shows you how strong a human he is, and just how much fight he has. He just pushed through it all, came with a great attitude every day,” Castleton said. “This guy’s overcome stuff that none of us can even understand.

“When he had chances to feel sorry for himself or pout or have a bad day, he didn’t let it happen. It wasn’t going to happen. He’s the epitome of character,” Castleton added. “He’s really superhuman, to be honest, in everybody’s eyes. It’s going to be awesome to see him play. I know everybody in the locker room and everybody who knows him is really happy for him.”

Despite all the emotions surrounding the matchup, Johnson is just trying to treat it like another game.

“Like Coach [Jerome] Tang says, we are just trying to go 1-0 and they are the next team on the schedule,” Johnson said.

All love 💙 pic.twitter.com/uCJfMfkR1T

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 27, 2023