Keyontae Johnson’s magical season keeps Wildcats going

Florida Gator fans haven’t just been following the boys in Orange and Blue this season, but a former Gator who has a new home.

Keyontae Johnson was the best player for the Gators for two years before his collapse during a game against Florida State in 2020. After recovering, he sat out the next year and a half, and nobody was sure if he would be able to play basketball again.

In need of a fresh start, Keyontae transferred to Kansas State and has reminded the country how elite of a player he is.

After being picked to finish last in the Big 12, Johnson led the Wildcats to the 3rd seed in their conference and a three seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Keyontae hasn’t just been a role player in the Wildcats rotation who’s along for the ride. He’s been their best overall player.

He leads their team in scoring with 17.7 points per game on 51.9% from the field. He also grabs 7.1 rebounds per game and dishes out 2.2 assists per game.

This afternoon in KSU’s second-round game against Kentucky, Johnson had another great game.

Markquis Nowell went takeover mode in this one, but that didn’t stop Keyontae from being a major contributor. He scored 13 points, grabbed four rebounds, and threw three assists.

He also had a steal and played very disciplined defense, only committing two fouls.

Watching Keyontae play at such a high level on the sport’s biggest stage is something that all college basketball fans, not just Gator fans, can enjoy.

When he collapsed two years ago, we didn’t know what was going to happen. Playing basketball was the furthest thing from anybody’s mind.

But Keyontae never gave up. He knew what he was capable of and kept fighting. He went up against every obstacle in his way and left it in the dust.

Now, he’s headed to the Sweet Sixteen with a real chance at making a run to the Final Four.

Throw your brackets away Gator fans. We’re all Wildcats for the next two weeks.