Can’t Help but Smile
Mar 24, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
In Greensboro, North Carolina, he hugged children. At the Manhattan Regional Airport, he took selfies with families. In New York City, he hugs adults. He's smiling. Always smiling. Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, see, and Keyontae Johnson isn't going to let it slip. Here he is, in the lobby at the Sheraton Times Square posing for pictures with purple-clad Kansas State fans, and there he is getting off the bus for practice at Madison Square Garden and he's embracing team staff members. Johnson is everywhere. And the smile continues to follow.
"I just always try to keep a positive energy around me," Johnson says, "always just letting guys know I'm happy."
And there he was, actually seen smiling, as he took an alley-oop pass in the final minute of overtime and in the heat of the moment threw down one of the meanest reverse dunks of the NCAA Tournament in the third-seeded Wildcats' 98-93 instant-classic victory against seventh-seed Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.
How sweet it was.
How sweet it is.
The New York City media wants to know why — why did Johnson decide to play basketball again, after the on-court medical condition, after the collapse in December 2020 when he was at Florida, and yes, we all know the story by now, but Johnson politely answers and recounts how two of three doctors cleared him to return to the court, and how he opted to find a new college home after Florida decided he couldn't touch a basketball in Gainesville again, and how he became attracted to K-State and first-year head coach Jerome Tang, and his first lunch with Markquis Nowell, and his decision to become a Wildcat.
And now Johnson is here, under the lights at Madison Square Garden, and he smiles.
"I can't be more blessed to be here," Johnson says, "so I just try to enjoy life and enjoy the moment."
Johnson makes the most of every moment. The national feel-good story of the year in college basketball, Johnson is a top-60 prospect for the NBA Draft, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior forward who is actually a position-less player on the floor, who ranks third in the Big 12 Conference in scoring (17.7), first in field-goal percentage (51.6%), fifth in rebounds (6.9), and fourth in minutes played (34.6). He has 10 20-point games and six double-doubles.
He led K-State with 22 points against the Spartans, including his reverse dunk that made SportsCenter. Johnson has a sweet jumpshot and is a 3-point weapon and nearly impossible to stop one-on-one and has a confidence and flare about him, particularly when it comes to a big play, or throwing down a good old-fashioned dunk.
"How do I rate his dunk?" K-State head coach Jerome Tang says. "Top three."
As for what Johnson has meant to the Wildcats in his first and only season?
"Man, it's real evident to see what he does on the floor, but I'm just telling you what he does off the floor in the locker room and how he's just one of the guys and treats everybody the same — all his teammates love him," Tang says. "You can't quantify how it impacts the chemistry of the team.
"Guys just root for each other because they see this guy who's clearly gifted, but he just acts like one of the guys. I appreciate that."
Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May knows. May knows all about Johnson's talent. He saw him play at IMG Academy. Johnson was 18 years old.
"He played like a 35-year-old veteran at 18 years old," May says. "The game was really, really slow in his mind, and that's very unique when you consider his size, strength, length, athleticism, shooting ability, and ability to drive the basketball.
"He's just a really unique talent."
And it'll be on display again when K-State, 26-9, faces No. 9-seed Florida Atlantic, 34-3, in a 5:09 p.m. tipoff Saturday at Madison Square Garden for the right to advance to the Final Four.
"You only get college for so long," Johnson says. "Basketball was almost taken away from me, so I just try to go out there and have fun and show my teammates the love and joy I have for them."
As for this season?
"I had a goal for myself this season and I wanted to take advantage of it," Johnson says. "My goal was to try to change the program. Coach Tang showed me this platform for me and gave me the freedom, and I knew the Big 12. I was Preseason Player of the Year in the SEC. I just wanted to transfer my talents to the Big 12 and show my skillsets.
"Coach Tang had trust in me from day one. My team just welcomed me. It's like home.
"It's the best thing I ever did."
And he smiles.
He hopes to smile even bigger on Saturday night.
In Greensboro, North Carolina, he hugged children. At the Manhattan Regional Airport, he took selfies with families. In New York City, he hugs adults. He's smiling. Always smiling. Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, see, and Keyontae Johnson isn't going to let it slip. Here he is, in the lobby at the Sheraton Times Square posing for pictures with purple-clad Kansas State fans, and there he is getting off the bus for practice at Madison Square Garden and he's embracing team staff members. Johnson is everywhere. And the smile continues to follow.
"I just always try to keep a positive energy around me," Johnson says, "always just letting guys know I'm happy."
And there he was, actually seen smiling, as he took an alley-oop pass in the final minute of overtime and in the heat of the moment threw down one of the meanest reverse dunks of the NCAA Tournament in the third-seeded Wildcats' 98-93 instant-classic victory against seventh-seed Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.
How sweet it was.
How sweet it is.
The New York City media wants to know why — why did Johnson decide to play basketball again, after the on-court medical condition, after the collapse in December 2020 when he was at Florida, and yes, we all know the story by now, but Johnson politely answers and recounts how two of three doctors cleared him to return to the court, and how he opted to find a new college home after Florida decided he couldn't touch a basketball in Gainesville again, and how he became attracted to K-State and first-year head coach Jerome Tang, and his first lunch with Markquis Nowell, and his decision to become a Wildcat.
And now Johnson is here, under the lights at Madison Square Garden, and he smiles.
"I can't be more blessed to be here," Johnson says, "so I just try to enjoy life and enjoy the moment."
Johnson makes the most of every moment. The national feel-good story of the year in college basketball, Johnson is a top-60 prospect for the NBA Draft, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior forward who is actually a position-less player on the floor, who ranks third in the Big 12 Conference in scoring (17.7), first in field-goal percentage (51.6%), fifth in rebounds (6.9), and fourth in minutes played (34.6). He has 10 20-point games and six double-doubles.
He led K-State with 22 points against the Spartans, including his reverse dunk that made SportsCenter. Johnson has a sweet jumpshot and is a 3-point weapon and nearly impossible to stop one-on-one and has a confidence and flare about him, particularly when it comes to a big play, or throwing down a good old-fashioned dunk.
"How do I rate his dunk?" K-State head coach Jerome Tang says. "Top three."
As for what Johnson has meant to the Wildcats in his first and only season?
"Man, it's real evident to see what he does on the floor, but I'm just telling you what he does off the floor in the locker room and how he's just one of the guys and treats everybody the same — all his teammates love him," Tang says. "You can't quantify how it impacts the chemistry of the team.
"Guys just root for each other because they see this guy who's clearly gifted, but he just acts like one of the guys. I appreciate that."
Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May knows. May knows all about Johnson's talent. He saw him play at IMG Academy. Johnson was 18 years old.
"He played like a 35-year-old veteran at 18 years old," May says. "The game was really, really slow in his mind, and that's very unique when you consider his size, strength, length, athleticism, shooting ability, and ability to drive the basketball.
"He's just a really unique talent."
And it'll be on display again when K-State, 26-9, faces No. 9-seed Florida Atlantic, 34-3, in a 5:09 p.m. tipoff Saturday at Madison Square Garden for the right to advance to the Final Four.
"You only get college for so long," Johnson says. "Basketball was almost taken away from me, so I just try to go out there and have fun and show my teammates the love and joy I have for them."
As for this season?
"I had a goal for myself this season and I wanted to take advantage of it," Johnson says. "My goal was to try to change the program. Coach Tang showed me this platform for me and gave me the freedom, and I knew the Big 12. I was Preseason Player of the Year in the SEC. I just wanted to transfer my talents to the Big 12 and show my skillsets.
"Coach Tang had trust in me from day one. My team just welcomed me. It's like home.
"It's the best thing I ever did."
And he smiles.
He hopes to smile even bigger on Saturday night.
Players Mentioned
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