Kansas State University Athletics
‘They Gave Me a Second Chance to Play Basketball’
Feb 28, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
A tattoo upon the left arm of Keyontae Johnson reads, "Write Your Own Story."
The ride for the fifth-year senior and No. 11 Kansas State couldn't be scripted much better so far this season.
Once told that he would never again play at Florida following a scary collapse that he suffered in the fifth game of the 2020-21 season, the former SEC Preseason Player of the Year is headed toward All-Big 12 First Team honors while the Wildcats continue to hold strong as a top-four seed for the NCAA Tournament.
"I feel like God put me into this position to play and there's no turning around now," Johnson said. "Before the season started, we always said we were going to make the NCAA Tournament. We just focused on winning each day and we kept winning. That gave us confidence that we could be good.
"To be ranked this high is a blessing."
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Johnson, who collected his fifth Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honor on Monday, heads toward his final home game of his only season at K-State when the Wildcats, 22-7 overall and 10-6 in the Big 12, meet Oklahoma, 14-15 and 4-12, on Senior Night at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum.
Just as Johnson, a 2023 NBA Draft prospect, feels blessed that first-year K-State had coach Jerome Tang gave him the chance to play basketball again after a two-year absence following his medical scare, the Wildcats, too, feel blessed to have watched Johnson star alongside senior point guard Markquis Nowell over the past five months.
"I love K-State," Johnson said. "This is like my second home for sure. I just appreciate everybody around here who appreciates me to come here. I appreciate the opportunity. Coach Tang and the coaching staff always said that they believed in me and I'd be able to play."
He's writing quite a story this season.
Johnson ranks second in scoring (17.6), second in field-goal percentage (52.0%), fourth in rebounds (7.1), and fourth in minutes played (33:00) in the Big 12 this season. He joins Kansas' Jalen Wilson as the only players to rank top-five in the Big 12 in scoring and rebounding both in overall and league-only games.
"I don't want to put a ceiling on him or put a floor on him," Tang said earlier this season. "He's a really good basketball player and he's really talented and every moment that he gets to play is a special opportunity. He's just one of those guys who can go get it. He can get hot and go get it."
Johnson averaged 21 points on 60% shooting, including 55.6% from 3-point range, and averaged 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 38.5 minutes during wins against No. 9 Baylor (75-65) and at Oklahoma State (73-68) last week. He led all scorers with 25 points and shot 11-of-17 from the floor against the Bears for his eighth 20-point game, including his fifth in Big 12 play. He followed with 17 points at Oklahoma State, going 7-of-13 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
He topped 500 points this season during his latest performance and also eclipsed 1,300 career points in the win.
"Key definitely took this team from being good to being promising," said Nowell, who earned Big 12 Player of the Week. "He's just a dynamic player, scorer and leader. He wants to win. I'm not sure where we'd be without him, but probably not in this position."
It's something that the Wildcats don't take lightly.
"He's been a huge inspiration for me and for the whole team," senior guard Nate Awbrey said. "He was told that he might never play basketball again. Coach Tang talks about the amount of faith that we have is how big God is that we get to experience. Just for Keyontae to have the faith that he was not only going to play basketball again, but at the Big 12 level, and to play at the level he's playing it, he's incredible."
His efforts have gained notice this season.
"He will certainly have opportunities to make an NBA roster and there is a good chance he will hear his name called at the 2023 NBA Draft as well," NBADraft.net wrote.
He's listed at No. 57 on Sports Illustrated's draft board.
"He's been nothing short of spectacular," CBSSports.com wrote.
Johnson said that he isn't focused yet on the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats wrap up their regular season at West Virginia on Saturday, then are likely to earn a first-round bye in the Big 12 Championship, which begins March 8 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
"You can't have any off nights," Johnson said. "You're doing it in front of sellout crowds. It's a good feeling. For a basketball player, this is it. Today we're going to have practice and watch film from the last game and just take it day by day and not look ahead.
"We're just trying to finish out the conference strong."
Johnson and K-State's tale will pause momentarily when Johnson is recognized on Senior Night in front of a sellout Bramlage.
"I feel like it's going to be a night where a lot of people just appreciate me coming here and me getting the opportunity," Johnson said. "It'll be big for me because I'll be me thanking K-State for having me here.
"They gave me a second chance to play basketball."
And the story isn't finished.
A tattoo upon the left arm of Keyontae Johnson reads, "Write Your Own Story."
The ride for the fifth-year senior and No. 11 Kansas State couldn't be scripted much better so far this season.
Once told that he would never again play at Florida following a scary collapse that he suffered in the fifth game of the 2020-21 season, the former SEC Preseason Player of the Year is headed toward All-Big 12 First Team honors while the Wildcats continue to hold strong as a top-four seed for the NCAA Tournament.
"I feel like God put me into this position to play and there's no turning around now," Johnson said. "Before the season started, we always said we were going to make the NCAA Tournament. We just focused on winning each day and we kept winning. That gave us confidence that we could be good.
"To be ranked this high is a blessing."
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound Johnson, who collected his fifth Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honor on Monday, heads toward his final home game of his only season at K-State when the Wildcats, 22-7 overall and 10-6 in the Big 12, meet Oklahoma, 14-15 and 4-12, on Senior Night at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum.
Just as Johnson, a 2023 NBA Draft prospect, feels blessed that first-year K-State had coach Jerome Tang gave him the chance to play basketball again after a two-year absence following his medical scare, the Wildcats, too, feel blessed to have watched Johnson star alongside senior point guard Markquis Nowell over the past five months.
"I love K-State," Johnson said. "This is like my second home for sure. I just appreciate everybody around here who appreciates me to come here. I appreciate the opportunity. Coach Tang and the coaching staff always said that they believed in me and I'd be able to play."
He's writing quite a story this season.
Johnson ranks second in scoring (17.6), second in field-goal percentage (52.0%), fourth in rebounds (7.1), and fourth in minutes played (33:00) in the Big 12 this season. He joins Kansas' Jalen Wilson as the only players to rank top-five in the Big 12 in scoring and rebounding both in overall and league-only games.
"I don't want to put a ceiling on him or put a floor on him," Tang said earlier this season. "He's a really good basketball player and he's really talented and every moment that he gets to play is a special opportunity. He's just one of those guys who can go get it. He can get hot and go get it."
Johnson averaged 21 points on 60% shooting, including 55.6% from 3-point range, and averaged 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 38.5 minutes during wins against No. 9 Baylor (75-65) and at Oklahoma State (73-68) last week. He led all scorers with 25 points and shot 11-of-17 from the floor against the Bears for his eighth 20-point game, including his fifth in Big 12 play. He followed with 17 points at Oklahoma State, going 7-of-13 from the floor, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
He topped 500 points this season during his latest performance and also eclipsed 1,300 career points in the win.
"Key definitely took this team from being good to being promising," said Nowell, who earned Big 12 Player of the Week. "He's just a dynamic player, scorer and leader. He wants to win. I'm not sure where we'd be without him, but probably not in this position."
It's something that the Wildcats don't take lightly.
"He's been a huge inspiration for me and for the whole team," senior guard Nate Awbrey said. "He was told that he might never play basketball again. Coach Tang talks about the amount of faith that we have is how big God is that we get to experience. Just for Keyontae to have the faith that he was not only going to play basketball again, but at the Big 12 level, and to play at the level he's playing it, he's incredible."
His efforts have gained notice this season.
"He will certainly have opportunities to make an NBA roster and there is a good chance he will hear his name called at the 2023 NBA Draft as well," NBADraft.net wrote.
He's listed at No. 57 on Sports Illustrated's draft board.
"He's been nothing short of spectacular," CBSSports.com wrote.
Johnson said that he isn't focused yet on the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats wrap up their regular season at West Virginia on Saturday, then are likely to earn a first-round bye in the Big 12 Championship, which begins March 8 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
"You can't have any off nights," Johnson said. "You're doing it in front of sellout crowds. It's a good feeling. For a basketball player, this is it. Today we're going to have practice and watch film from the last game and just take it day by day and not look ahead.
"We're just trying to finish out the conference strong."
Johnson and K-State's tale will pause momentarily when Johnson is recognized on Senior Night in front of a sellout Bramlage.
"I feel like it's going to be a night where a lot of people just appreciate me coming here and me getting the opportunity," Johnson said. "It'll be big for me because I'll be me thanking K-State for having me here.
"They gave me a second chance to play basketball."
And the story isn't finished.
Players Mentioned
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