Amid the chaotic first month of college basketball this season, there was one story that somehow flew completely under the radar, but it deserves a little more coverage. , the resurgence of Texas, the suspension of Bill Self, and the rapid downfall of North Carolina were the main storylines during the hectic first few weeks of the season. The top 10 teams in AP voting rotate every week.
but probably number one The story of this college basketball season somehow got lost.
Just two years ago, on December 12, 2020, preseason SEC Player of the Year Keyyonte Johnson landed an alley-oop dunk to give Florida an 11-3 lead over the No. 20. Florida 3:37 Game start. Johnson collapsed on his way back onto the court and fell on his face into the hardwood as he went into cardiac arrest. Play was suspended and Johnson was taken off the court on a stretcher and taken to a Tallahassee hospital immediately. Florida State offered to cancel the game, but the Gators wanted to watch the game with tears in their eyes.
They outscored the rest of the first half 42-24 before eventually losing the game 83-71.
At the hospital, Johnson was placed in a medically induced coma, where he remained for a week. With his brain activity soaring, he eventually got out of his coma and released a video of his gratitude with his prayers and wishes. On December 20, 2020, Johnson was diagnosed with myocarditis. This is a heart disease with inflammation and weakness of the heart muscle. Earlier that year, Johnson said he fell ill with COVID-19, and although his heart condition is often linked to the virus, Johnson said he had suffered from myocarditis before contracting COVID-19. It is impossible to know.
Regardless, Johnson did not appear in the remaining 20 games of the season and did not play at all during the 2021–2022 season. He continued to see his doctors and cardiologists to learn more about his health and whether he would be able to play basketball again. During these two his seasons, the Florida men’s basketball program left Johnson one of 13 scholarships for him until he recovered. He quickly became a “coachkey” on the bench and was an integral part of the program despite not being able to compete.
This past May, following the conclusion of the 2021-2022 season, Johnson entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal in hopes of playing one more season once he is medically cleared to play. Memphis, Nebraska , KansasIn August, Johnson was cleared to return, opting to move to Kansas State to play under new head coach Jerome Tan.
Tan, 56, who spent 19 seasons as an assistant with Baylor from 2003 to 2022, took his first head coaching job of his career at Kansas State University in March. Johnson was one of the first players he recruited into his program.
“Today is a great day for Wildcats! We are so excited to welcome Keyontae and his family to K-State.” Tang said“He is a talented player, a winner, and brings significant experience to our team after playing in one of the toughest leagues in the country in Florida. is a perfect fit for members already in the program and we can’t wait to bring him to Manhattan and introduce him to Wildcat Nation!”
After longtime head coach Bruce Webber stepped down, Nigel Puck, Kansas State’s top scorer for a year, moved to Miami. His 17.4 PPG in the Pack and replacing his 3-point shot in the elite has always been a struggle, but new coaches (especially first-time coaches) aren’t expected to do much in their first year. not.With so many unknowns, Kansas finish at the end Big 12 of the season.
Instead, the Wildcats started the season 9-1 and are receiving back-to-back votes in the AP polls. Even more impressive is Johnson’s leadership after two seasons out of action. The 23-year-old forward is averaging 17.2 points per game this season, leading the Wildcats in scoring in five of 10 games. He’s also averaging a team-best 6.7 rebounds per game, and his 48% shooting percentage from range at 3-point. On top of that, he’s playing his 32 minutes per game. This was his second on the team and his career high.
After Kansas State won its first win of the season, defeating the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, 93-59 on November 7, Tang was among the group of players he was able to amass for his team this season. said he was most satisfied with A tough road to get there.” But he was especially emotional for Johnson, who waited two years to get his second chance.
“I told everyone, whether you played well or not, whether you played a lot or not, no one should be unhappy tonight. For the first time in two years.” After the game, Tan told the Topeka Capital Journal.“We have some players on the team who have had a difficult road to get here and this is their second chance, so we have to be really excited.
Johnson’s comeback helped propel Tan’s first Kansas State team from a highly anticipated doormat to a sudden NCAA tournament contender. Sure, the Wildcats haven’t taken on tough game challenges before, but they’ve come out victorious. LSUs, Wichita, Nevada. Only time will tell if he’s K-State legal with the Big 12 play starting at the end of the month, but for now, ‘Coach Key’ and his Wildcats are looking for a non-conference win. It’s piling up left and right, it’s 9-1, and it’s just sitting there. Located in the AP Top 25 suburbs.
For Johnson in particular, the fifth-year senior is currently setting several career highs in several stat categories and is in the running for the Big 12 Player of the Year after missing two seasons of basketball activity. increase. His 17.2 points per game average is currently 3rd in the Big 12, 6.7 rebounds rank him 7th, 81.4% free throws he marks 10th, 48% 3 points his percentage is big 6th place out of 12.
Kansas State will be back on the ground once play for the Big 12 begins, and the Wildcats may not get much media attention in the final months of the season. But if Johnson’s Wildcats didn’t make it to his NCAA Tournament, or indeed he finished bottom of the Big 12, it’s not because of his lack of trying.
I don’t think anyone, except for Keyeonte himself, could have expected him to return from a long break from physical activity to be such a productive college basketball player at the highest level. Regardless, on the second anniversary of the day Johnson almost lost his life, it seemed important to take a moment to recognize his remarkable journey and perseverance.
