Keldon Johnson is the most senior player on the San Antonio Spurs' roster, and as the Spurs play two games in Austin, he reflected on where his career started and gave some advice to the Spurs' youngsters.
The San Antonio Spurs have come a long way in Keldon Johnson's seven years.
Picked 29th overall by the Spurs in the 2019 Draft, adding Johnson was one of the first moves San Antonio made in their post-Kawhi Leonard rebuild. The draft pick that became Johnson was one of the most useful assets the Spurs got back in the deal with the Toronto Raptors.
However, it hasn't been smooth sailing. In 2022, Johnson had a career year and looked poised to be the face of the franchise moving forward. The year after that, his scoring improved, although his efficiency tanked, and the following two seasons were rough.
Since then, Johnson has bounced back from a trade machine regular to a key sixth man for the Spurs. As the longest-tenured player on the roster, he readily embraces his role as a tone-setter.
Keldon Johnson Reflects, Offers Advice
The Spurs are looking ahead to their second of two games in Austin, as they will take on the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Johnson spent much of his rookie season with the G League Austin Spurs, and the city holds a special place.
It was in the G League, under head coach Blake Ahearn and with guidance from Gregg Popovich, where Johnson became a pro.
"Just creating good habits, whether that's your diet or just being on time or being early, things like that," was the most important lesson he learned. "I feel like that really helped me and molded me into becoming a professional, not only on the court, but off the court as well. That was huge for my career."
As the Spurs continue to grow, they have emerged from the bottom of the standings, but are still a very young team. Johnson may be the elder statesman, but he's still young enough to give relevant advice.
"On the court, I couldn't be more proud of those guys," he said of the Spurs' two rookies, Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant. "I feel like they developed and really showed us what they're really capable of."
On the court, both rookies have shown elite flashes. Off the court, they bring an injection of energy, allowing Johnson to occasionally take a back seat, although that's not something he does often.
I feel like they're really helping make an impact with us and impact winning," he added. "Sometimes that can be kind of rare with younger guys in the NBA. We've appreciated their impact on us, their energy. It's contagious, their youth. I feel like not a day goes by that we don't appreciate it."