NBA: 5 way-too-early Most Improved Player candidates for 2021
4. Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
Draft: 2019
Round: 1
Pick: 29
Player Comparison: A mix between Justise Winslow and Jabari Parker
Keldon Johnson has two distinct advantages besides talent on his side. One, he’s a San Antonio Spur, and two he’s a former Kentucky Wildcat. Kentucky has been a factory for NBA superstars and even though Keldon is not a superstar, he’s making his mark in just his second season.
Johnson gets overshadowed when we talk about the 2019 draft that featured incredible talents like Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and RJ Barret. However, that deep of a draft may have benefitted him as he lands on the Spurs. The way Kentucky turns out NBA pros is the same way the Spurs squeeze all the potential out of all their players, they find a way to get the most out of all of them.
Remember Kawhi coming out of college? The knock on him was his offense, hilarious right? Kawhi’s jumper was non-existent when he came into the league, now he’s an all-world player. The Spurs always find a way to extend careers by their style of play as well. Former players like Ginobli, Duncan, Gasol, and Kerr all played into their late 30s and early 40s because of their brand of basketball.
They are doing it with LaMarcus Aldridge currently. How about Matt Bonner? Are you kidding me? If they can turn Matt Bonner into a serious role player then I think they can survive with a guy of Keldon Johnson’s talent. No offense to Matt, but he looked like a guy who won a radio show call-in competition.
“Be the 9th caller and you get a chance to suit up with the Spurs!”
Here’s the case for Keldon, in just his second season he’s jumped from 9.1points and 3.4 rebounds per game to 16.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Small sample size but these stats aren’t empty. He’s getting more minutes, more shots, but maintaining efficiency. Johnson shoots just under 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from the 3-point line. He currently shoots 85 percent from the line as well. He’s important for the spurs because of his ability to spread the floor which is something the spurs lack. When your guards are Dejountae Murray and DeMar DeRozan, as a team you become easier to guard because of the lack of 3-point ability between those two.
Keldon is a guy you can’t leave open, and he’s also great at attacking the closeout with his 6-foot-6 height which doesn’t seem like a lot but his 210-pound frame makes it easy for him to take contact and finish as well. His body type reminds me of a mix between Justise Winslow and Jabari Parker, and his style of play is similar to Jabari. Keldon is more athletic than Jabari and a more capable shooter as well.
Johnson fits nicely with the veteran players like DeRozan and Mills and the young core the Spurs have as well. He may not get all the accolades as some of the other guys in his draft class but he will have a long career and be an asset for a very long time, not to mention a candidate for most improved player of 2021.