Each time the San Antonio Spurs discover themselves within the midst of NBA commerce speak – which has been typically for the reason that franchise drafted Victor Wembanyama two years in the past – Keldon Johnson’s identify will get floated as a part of a transfer that would bolster Wemby’s supporting forged. Not generally. Not more often than not. Just about each time. Within the meantime, all Johnson does is play effectively it doesn’t matter what’s been requested of him.
“We hear all of the noise and we maintain working. No person’s going to really feel sorry for me,” the longest tenured Spur admitted.
“As a participant, no one can inform me what I can not do.”
Johnson pointed to the evolution of his function with the Spurs since being drafted late within the 2019 first spherical. An power and defensive go-getter for the higher a part of his first three years, Johnson led the Silver and Black in scoring through the 2022-2023 marketing campaign.
“Fourth 12 months, I used to be the man. I averaged 22 factors within the league. After which, modifications occurred,” Johnson mentioned, primarily alluding to the drafting of Wembanyama.
“As a substitute of complaining, I saved my head excessive, I maintain working. I do not make no excuses.”
Keldon Johnson counters naysayers
Whereas most likely probably the most constant Spur this season, Johnson performed in 77 of their 82 video games with out beginning a single one in every of them.
“I am versatile. I can come off the bench. I can guard. I really feel like I can deliver each phrase as a participant,” Johnson exclaimed.
It is a function that began a few months into final season when Gregg Popovich moved him to the bench as a way to present a punch with the reserve unit.
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“No matter this group wants me to do, I am out there to do it. That is simply my mindset. As a basketball participant, I do not really feel there’s any limitations on what I can and the way I can have an effect on the sport,” Johnson continued.
Three summers in the past, Johnson signed a four-year, $80 million rookie scale contract extension that runs by means of the tip of 2026-27. This previous season, he made $19 million and is ready to earn $17.5 million in every of the following two. It is a very affordable deal for profession averages of 15.6 factors and 5.4 rebounds in beneath 29 minutes per contest.
“It is a fixed really feel for me to see the chatter, to see the issues that folks say I can not do, however I really feel like I enhance each season,” Johnson revealed. “The function could also be completely different. Folks’s expectations could also be completely different, however I really feel like develop in every thing I have to develop in every 12 months.”
The previous Kentucky Wildcat will not flip 26 years previous till shortly earlier than subsequent season begins. Due to that, his recreation nonetheless has loads of room to develop.
“All of it boils all the way down to: everyone at all times has one thing that Keldon cannot do,” Johnson mentioned. “You at all times have those that say, ‘Keldon is not essentially the perfect defender, Keldon is not this, Keldon is not that.’ I at all times maintain my head down and work.
“I got here into the season in the perfect form of my life. I got here into the season mentally prepared, bodily prepared. I used to be able to do no matter I needed to do as a way to put my group in the perfect scenario to win.”
It is a mantra that is served the Spurs effectively. It doesn’t matter what anybody says.