Keon Johnson (basketball, born 2002)
No. 45 – Los Angeles Clippers | |
---|---|
Position | Shooting guard |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | Shelbyville, Tennessee | March 10, 2002
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tennessee) |
College | Tennessee (2020–2021) |
NBA draft | 2021 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall |
Selected by the New York Knicks | |
Playing career | 2021–present |
Career history | |
2021–present | Los Angeles Clippers |
2021 | →Agua Caliente Clippers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Christopher Keon Johnson (born March 10, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Tennessee Volunteers.
Early life and high school career[]
Two months before beginning high school, Johnson suffered open fractures in four of his fingers, was thrown about 10 feet and lost consciousness in a fireworks accident. He underwent surgery to repair blood vessels in his hand and avoid amputation, and he underwent eight weeks of intensive physical therapy.[1][2]
Johnson played high school basketball for The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. In his sophomore season, he averaged 25.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, earning Division II-A Tennessee Mr. Basketball honors.[3] As a junior, Johnson averaged 25.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, leading his team to the Division II-A state semifinals. He repeated as Division II-A Tennessee Mr. Basketball.[4][5] Early in his senior season, Johnson suffered a season-ending meniscus injury. In four games, he averaged 30.5 points with 10.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.[6]
Recruiting[]
On August 6, 2019, Johnson committed to play college basketball for Tennessee over offers from Ohio State and Virginia, among others.[7] By the end of his high school career, Johnson was rated by major recruiting services as a consensus five-star recruit and the highest ranked player in Tennessee in the 2020 class. He became the first top-ranked in-state prospect to commit to Tennessee since Robert Hubbs III in 2013.[8]
Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keon Johnson SG |
Shelbyville, TN | The Webb School (TN) | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Aug 9, 2019 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 90 | ||||||
Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 18 247Sports: 17 ESPN: 28 | ||||||
Sources:
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College career[]
On February 6, 2021, Johnson scored a career-high 27 points in an 82–71 win over Kentucky.[9] As a freshman, he averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, and was named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team. On April 7, 2021, Johnson declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his college eligibility.[10] At the NBA Draft Combine, he recorded the highest maximum vertical leap in combine history, at 48 inches.[11]
Professional career[]
Los Angeles Clippers (2021–present)[]
Johnson was selected with the 21st pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the New York Knicks and was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.[12]
Career statistics[]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College[]
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020–21 | Tennessee | 27 | 17 | 25.5 | .449 | .271 | .703 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.1 | .4 | 11.3 |
Personal life[]
Johnson's mother, Conswella Sparrow Johnson, was a two-time Class AAA Tennessee Miss Basketball winner in high school and played college basketball for Auburn, where she was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection.[13]
References[]
- ^ Humphrey, Nancy (June 10, 2019). "Game On". Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Kreager, Tom (February 13, 2019). "How top prospect Keon Johnson, wanted by UT Vols and others, almost ended his career before it began". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "2017-18 ALL-USA Tennessee Boys Basketball Team". USA Today High School Sports. April 16, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Kreager, Tom (March 1, 2019). "Keon Johnson, Tennessee's top 2020 basketball prospect, plays with edge, even if that means technicals". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Kreager, Tom (March 5, 2019). "James Wiseman, top college basketball prospect in country, wins first Mr. Basketball honor". The Tennessean. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ Kreager, Tom (December 17, 2019). "Tennessee basketball signee Keon Johnson injures knee, expected back before postseason". The Tennessean. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ "Big in-state recruit Keon Johnson commits to Tennessee". WVLT-TV. August 6, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Wilson, Mike (November 13, 2019). "Tennessee basketball signs three prominent recruits Wednesday". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "Johnson, Springer rally No. 11 Tennessee past Kentucky 82-71". ESPN. Associated Press. February 6, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Givony, Jonathan (April 7, 2021). "Tennessee Vols' Keon Johnson to declare for NBA draft". ESPN. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Taylor, Cody (June 24, 2021). "Keon Johnson shatters combine record with historic max vertical jump". Rookie Wire. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Wilson, Mike (July 29, 2021). "Tennessee basketball's Keon Johnson picked No. 21 by New York Knicks in 2021 NBA Draft". Knoxville News-Sentinel. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- ^ Kreager, Tom (February 13, 2018). "Webb's Keon Johnson dominates on court like mom did". The Tennessean. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
External links[]
- 2002 births
- Living people
- Agua Caliente Clippers players
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players from Tennessee
- Los Angeles Clippers players
- New York Knicks draft picks
- People from Shelbyville, Tennessee
- Shooting guards
- Tennessee Volunteers basketball players