Keon Johnson declares for the 2021 NBA Draft, forgoing his college eligibility. He will hire an agent, and prepare for the draft. Johnson is projected to be a lottery pick in the draft. Rick Barnes gets to put another draft pick on his resume and Johnson will get to make his NBA dreams come true. He discussed that with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and ESPN.
Tennessee freshman Keon Johnson — the No. 6 prospect in the ESPN 100 — will declare for the 2021 NBA draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility by hiring an agent, Johnson told ESPN. https://t.co/dloIvVbGB0
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 7, 2021
Johnson is known for his athleticism and explosiveness. His ability to get up the floor quickly and be a one-man fast break will make him an exciting offensive weapon at the next level. Even without a huge running start, he seems to pogo-stick bounce in the air whenever he wants. This allows him not only to show off with flashy dunks but also get blocks and make plays on defense.
ESPN has Johnson as No. 6 in their ESPN 100 and he very well may go in the top-10 of the draft. At 6’5″ and 185lb, Johnson has good size to play the two-guard in the NBA. The one obvious flaw in his game is his three-point shooting. This season he only hit 27.1% of his shots from beyond the arc, which will need to improve once he gets in the league. In 25.5 minutes a game, Johnson averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, making 44.9% of his shots.
In the final game of the season for the Volunteers, Johnson put up a valiant effort against the Oregon State Beavers. 14 points 6 rebounds and 3 steals in a losing effort, unfortunately. In the last few years, the SEC has produced more and more NBA draft picks outside of Lexington, KY. With Alabama’s success and the success of Tennessee and Florida in recent years, there is no surprise this trend is continuing. The SEC has brought in big-name coaches and it has paid off, elevating the overall talent pool in the conference. Johnson is the latest, but won’t be the last.
