Spurs Select G/F Keldon Johnson in the 2019 NBA Draft (29th Overall)

[EricB]

So he apparently has a 7'0 wingspan all of a sudden?



Hes had one.... Keldon johnson will be Bruce Bowen but with a better offensive repertoire.

[EricB]

You do realize this is the same clown shoes GM who said during a press briefing after trading away Luis Scola that he didn't think his game translated well to the NBA.


A lot lot of people didn’t.

[EricB]

People rarely grow inches after 19


Your name sake sake of your handle says hi

[EricB]

People on here including me were high on Blossomgame and the Spurs let him go. Earning minutes as a rookie is always tough on the Spurs. He’ll probably be in Austin the entire year.


He wasnt let go for performance. He was let go for other reasons.

[Dejounte]

Keldon’s dad is very Pro-Spur and in alignment with the organization. I love it

So was Uncle Dennis when Kawhi first got drafted.

[r0drig0lac]

I understand complaining about KJ at #19, but, at #29, he's an absolute no brainer.

[exstatic]

So was Uncle Dennis when Kawhi first got drafted.

I call BS. No one outside of the Spurs knew who Uncle Fester was when Kawhi was drafted, let alone what his position on anything was.

[Dejounte]

I call BS. No one outside of the Spurs knew who Uncle Fester was when Kawhi was drafted, let alone what his position on anything was.

Not BSing. Give me a minute to send you the article

[Dejounte]

I call BS. No one outside of the Spurs knew who Uncle Fester was when Kawhi was drafted, let alone what his position on anything was.

I found one

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/started-bottom/story?id=24165085

"This place is going to be special for you" - uncle dennis

I think theres another one but its getting buried by the recent press on Dennis. Hold up

[Dverde]

He wasnt let go for performance. He was let go for other reasons.

Was he not over himself? I didn’t hear any drama with him.

[cutewizard]

:bobo

[Drom John]

Name the last Spurs rookie who ended up shooting a lower percentage on 3s in the NBA than he did in college under Chips tutelage.

Spurs Career 3P% / College Career 3P%
.000/.302 Chimezie Metu
.278/.325 Brandon Paul
.361/.396 Derrick White
.406/.435 Bryn Forbes
.322/.386 Jonathon Simmons
.338/.375 Kyle Anderson
.000/.176 JaMychal Green
.000/.397 Derrick Byars
.000/.349 Justin Dentmon
.314/.413 Cory Joseph
.336/.375 James Anderson
.333/.346 Larry Owens
.000/.305 Cedric Jackson
.167/.395 Malik Hairston
.378/.404 George Hill
.220/.333 Anthony Tolliver
.333/.376 Darius Washington
.286/.336 James White

[buttsR4rebounding]

Spurs Career 3P% / College Career 3P%
.000/.302 Chimezie Metu
.278/.325 Brandon Paul
.361/.396 Derrick White
.406/.435 Bryn Forbes
.322/.386 Jonathon Simmons
.338/.375 Kyle Anderson
.000/.176 JaMychal Green
.000/.397 Derrick Byars
.000/.349 Justin Dentmon
.314/.413 Cory Joseph
.336/.375 James Anderson
.333/.346 Larry Owens
.000/.305 Cedric Jackson
.167/.395 Malik Hairston
.378/.404 George Hill
.220/.333 Anthony Tolliver
.333/.376 Darius Washington
.286/.336 James White

So you are saying the answer is Chemezie Metu...

[exstatic]

Spurs Career 3P% / College Career 3P%
.000/.302 Chimezie Metu
.278/.325 Brandon Paul
.361/.396 Derrick White
.406/.435 Bryn Forbes
.322/.386 Jonathon Simmons
.338/.375 Kyle Anderson
.000/.176 JaMychal Green
.000/.397 Derrick Byars
.000/.349 Justin Dentmon
.314/.413 Cory Joseph
.336/.375 James Anderson
.333/.346 Larry Owens
.000/.305 Cedric Jackson
.167/.395 Malik Hairston
.378/.404 George Hill
.220/.333 Anthony Tolliver
.333/.376 Darius Washington
.286/.336 James White!

FIFY

[Drom John]

So you are saying the answer is Chemezie Metu...

Yes, OTOH none of these were in college under Chip's tutelage.

[JeffDuncan]

Why are we pretending that it's the same distance? And equally defended?

[TD 21]

I see more Butler in him. He is slightly shorter than Jimmy but with a longer wingspan and much higher standing reach. No one would say Jimmy can't play the three or guard big wings. Of course, Johnson will need time to grow into his body and gain enough renown in the league to play a physical style on D without too many fouls, but he can certainly be an SF in that same mold.

Of course Butler can play the three, but he can't play the four. If you watched the playoffs, you'd know he's not quite big enough (as you alluded to, t-rex arms) to truly defend big wings, which is why it took all of 1 game for the 76ers to have Simmons be the primary Scumbag defender.

[Chinook]

Of course Butler can play the three, but he can't play the four. If you watched the playoffs, you'd know he's not quite big enough (as you alluded to, t-rex arms) to truly defend big wings, which is why it took all of 1 game for the 76ers to have Simmons be the primary Scumbag defender.

Eh, Derrick White can defend Kawhi. Offensive wingspan isn't really that big of a deal, and outside of that, Kawhi's just an average size for an SF. Butler could guard him and indeed probably should have. Maybe Jimmy has fallen off to the point to where he can't do it anymore, but he was checking Durant and James on the regular back in the day.

I don't believe Johnson could play the four in anything but a gimmick lineup. But I also don't think you worry he's too small to guard someone like Kyle Kuzma if your designated defensive four has to guard James. People should pump the brakes on thinking Johnson is going to develop into a defensive beast in terms of skill, craftiness or reputation, but size-wise, you can put him on any small-forward and be comfortable he'll have a chance.

[Pavlov]

Eh, Derrick White can defend Kawhi.HIS STANDING REACH IS HALF AN INCH LONGER SO HE CAN DEFEND ANYONE!

[TD 21]

Eh, Derrick White can defend Kawhi. Offensive wingspan isn't really that big of a deal, and outside of that, Kawhi's just an average size for an SF. Butler could guard him and indeed probably should have. Maybe Jimmy has fallen off to the point to where he can't do it anymore, but he was checking Durant and James on the regular back in the day.

I don't believe Johnson could play the four in anything but a gimmick lineup. But I also don't think you worry he's too small to guard someone like Kyle Kuzma if your designated defensive four has to guard James. People should pump the brakes on thinking Johnson is going to develop into a defensive beast in terms of skill, craftiness or reputation, but size-wise, you can put him on any small-forward and be comfortable he'll have a chance.

Based on one random regular season game, where Scumbag was clearly shook from the atmostphere and hoopla? Scumbag has the length and strength of a center. He physically overwhelmed Butler, which is why they gave up on that experiment after one game.

Agreed.

[SpurPadre]

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/keldon-johnson

I don't know if this has been posted yet but Nbadraftnet ranked him 9th on their big board and see him as a potential All-Star with the right coaching. I'm really happy with this pick.

[bklynspursfan]

1143523303103090689

[Atl Spur]

Based on one random regular season game, where Scumbag was clearly shook from the atmostphere and hoopla? Scumbag has the length and strength of a center. He physically overwhelmed Butler, which is why they gave up on that experiment after one game.

Agreed.

I think Keldon might surprise you; inner fire is something you just have or you don’t! This kid has it

[timvp]

That's one way for Quincy Pondexter to find out he's not coming back :lol

[Russ]

That's one way for Quincy Pondexter to find out he's not coming back :lol

Sorry, sir, no visitors allowed . . .

[bluebellmaniac]

Sorry, sir, no visitors allowed . . .

Lol!

[Mugen]

That's one way for Quincy Pondexter to find out he's not coming back :lol

Pop is probably going to let Quincy wear #21 tbh.

[buttsR4rebounding]

That's one way for Quincy Pondexter to find out he's not coming back :lol

:rollin

[SpurPadre]

John Calipari doesn’t know why Keldon Johnson dropped to No. 29 in the NBA Draft (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/nba-cats/calipari-doesnt-know-why-keldon-johnson-dropped-to-no-29-in-the-nba-draft/)By Jack Pilgrim (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/author/jack-pilgrim/) on ©June 22nd, 2019 @ 9:00pm
Posted in Cats in the NBA (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/category/nba-cats/), Main (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/category/main/) | Tagged Keldon Johnson (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/tag/keldon-johnson/), NBA Draft (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/tag/nba-draft/) | 11 Responses (https://kentuckysportsradio.com/nba-cats/calipari-doesnt-know-why-keldon-johnson-dropped-to-no-29-in-the-nba-draft/#comments)



https://kentuckysportsradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/USATSI_12930386_154849602_lowres.jpg
© Brad Penner | USATSI
With three first-round picks, two being lottery selections, the Kentucky basketball program had yet another impressive night at the NBA Draft.
For PJ Washington and Tyler Herro, they landed right where they were projected to as late lottery picks. For Johnson, however, he had a noticeable slip to the very end of the first round.
Originally expected to be taken anywhere from the late-lottery to No. 20 or so, it was a drop that left Kentucky head coach John Calipari wondering what happened from the time the Wildcat forward tested the waters and the night of the draft.
“I’m still trying to figure out how Keldon (Johnson) – they said he was a top-10 pick when he left here and then a month and a half later he’s picked 29th,” Coach Cal said. “Knowing the draft the way I do, I haven’t spent time really going into that knowing that there are teams that you didn’t work out for and you slip a little bit and then all of a sudden you slip by those teams, and then it’s like what’s wrong with this kid?”
If you ask Calipari, though, San Antonio’s selection proved that there is nothing wrong with the former Wildcat. If a franchise as historic and well-respected as the Spurs wants you, it means you’ll be just fine in the long run.
“Because there’s nothing wrong with them and what proved it was San Antonio took him,” he said. “San Antonio is about a culture, about good kids who will compete and fight and be coached. By them taking him, it confirms who he is. But 29, I had no idea what went on and I was on the phone the whole time.”
And according to the Kentucky head coach, he didn’t have to sell anything to Gregg Popovich and the Spurs franchise. They were interested all along.
When he saw Johnson falling a bit, Calipari said he went over to the former Wildcat and comforted him, letting him know that he had “two back stops” and wouldn’t fall out of the first round.
“I didn’t sell anything. The only thing I talked to [Keldon], when I saw what was happening and knew he didn’t work out for some teams and knew where this could go, I thought he had two back stops in two different teams,” he said. “I went over to him and his family and I said, ‘Listen to me, I’ve done this a long time. You are in the NBA, you are going to be with a team. This stuff, most of it is ego, and it’s more about being on the right team. So just relax and understand that this stuff happens.’”
With the dust now settled, Calipari said he is ecstatic with where Johnson landed and the opportunity he’ll have to work with a first-class organization.
“He ends up going to San Antonio, which is the best team,” he said. “We’re talking Hall of Fame coach (Gregg Popovich), an organization that does unbelievable work developing young players, and then those guys become – you know they took a kid from Colorado no one heard about, they took a guy, (Kawhi) Leonard, that no one really knew about, so they don’t miss very often.”

[timvp]

It should be remembered that Calipari is a salesman first and foremost. You can't really believe what he says, tbh. His job is to sell high school kids on his (admittedly great) record of getting his one-and-done prospects picked in the first round. KJ slipping out of the first round would have been bad for business ... so, IMO, that's at least part of the reason why he's overhyping KJ's landing with the Spurs.

"We got two players picked in the lottery and one with the best organization in the NBA!" sounds a lot better than "We got two players picked in the lottery and one barely got picked in the first round despite being a preseason top 10 pick."

That said, Calipari hyped up KJ during the season too ... so it's not 100% bluster. But a lot of his post-draft comments are just that, IMO.

[SpurPadre]

It should be remembered that Calipari is a salesman first and foremost. You can't really believe what he says, tbh. His job is to sell high school kids on his (admittedly great) record of getting his one-and-done prospects picked in the first round. KJ slipping out of the first round would have been bad for business ... so, IMO, that's at least part of the reason why he's overhyping KJ's landing with the Spurs.

"We got two players picked in the lottery and one with the best organization in the NBA!" sounds a lot better than "We got two players picked in the lottery and one barely got picked in the first round despite being a preseason top 10 pick."

That said, Calipari hyped up KJ during the season too ... so it's not 100% bluster. But a lot of his post-draft comments are just that, IMO.

It's easy for us fans to temper expectations or downplay praise from actual experts but the kid has undeniable upside. Just 3 months ago, he was looked as a lottery pick. This article from March : https://www.aseaofblue.com/2019/3/9/18256982/nba-draft-2019-keldon-johnson-uk-wildcats-ncaa-tournament-2019 implies how fatigue might have affected his outlook. Still, that's fixable.

[DJR210]

1143523303103090689

Amazing how talented this guy is when there is zero pressure to perform

[exstatic]

Amazing how talented this guy is when there is zero pressure to perform

What does that even mean?

[JeffDuncan]

Amazing how talented this guy is when there is zero pressure to perform

So he only has to get used to the pressure, and there ya go.

[ceperez]

What happened is that he worked out only with a few teams so no other team had exposure as to what he could do.

Then the pathetic Suns drafted Johnson... the wrong Johnson... Cam Johnson who is the oldest player in the draft and has a history of injury.

Next thing you know, he's Keldon Johnson is being passed on by teams that never had a look at him.

They probably are wondering if there's some information that they were totally unaware of. Maybe he's in hot water, how the hell did he get that $200,000 supercar?

Well, Spurs put two-and-two together and realized that the Suns made a mistake.

[DJR210]

What does that even mean?


He is bagging on his Tournament Performance, wasn't a stellar year for those Wildcats


So he only has to get used to the pressure, and there ya go.

:lol

I was actually responding to the .gif of DePression doing the 360 layup, but didn't realize it was dude's signature and not a post

I don't know much about Keldon but believe me I'm more excited for him than I am for Luka at this point

[JeffDuncan]

:lol

I was actually responding to the .gif of DePression doing the 360 layup, but didn't realize it was dude's signature and not a post

Aha. :lol



I don't know much about Keldon but believe me I'm more excited for him than I am for Luka at this point

It wouldn't surprise me if Keldon is on the floor doing good things for the Spurs before Samanic is.

[Seventyniner]

Then the pathetic Suns drafted Johnson... the wrong Johnson... Cam Johnson who is the oldest player in the draft and has a history of injury.

Well, Spurs put two-and-two together and realized that the Suns made a mistake.

The Suns already had a last-name mixup with Mar'Shon and Dillon Brooks. If they somehow really did take the wrong Johnson and are just keeping quiet to save face.... :lol

[DJR210]

Aha. :lol



It wouldn't surprise me if Keldon is on the floor doing good things for the Spurs before Samanic is.

I think the same unless Bertans gets moved while his stock is up.. If dude brings the defensive motor to the pros and has the alpha mindset he'll be contributing much sooner

[kobyz]

It should be remembered that Calipari is a salesman first and foremost. You can't really believe what he says, tbh. His job is to sell high school kids on his (admittedly great) record of getting his one-and-done prospects picked in the first round. KJ slipping out of the first round would have been bad for business ... so, IMO, that's at least part of the reason why he's overhyping KJ's landing with the Spurs.

"We got two players picked in the lottery and one with the best organization in the NBA!" sounds a lot better than "We got two players picked in the lottery and one barely got picked in the first round despite being a preseason top 10 pick."

That said, Calipari hyped up KJ during the season too ... so it's not 100% bluster. But a lot of his post-draft comments are just that, IMO.

I remember Cal hyping Jamal Murray when he fall to 7, said Denver got the best player in the draft...

[BatManu20]

1143625410623807493

[BatManu20]

1143605901917609986

[Ignazzz]

Johnson got #3 jersey?

so we have our own version
” not one not two... but 3” ?

[BatManu20]

1143605989045915649

[Dejounte]

a non bolded non Donk Called it First not Dejounte (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=51342)

How do you feel now?

Tom Hollinger seems to still be salty with SA, that faggot has written a couple of articles in THE ATLANTIC(lol dying platform) about the 2019 class of rooks and has ignored Keldon Both Times. Fuck Hollinger Im glad you flamed out in Memphis. I'm happy you're gonna be shit out of a job when it folds.

Call in AT THE LINE you marbled mouth donks and spergs quit the circle jerk of the GAME THREAD.(BENAFACTORS maybe not you considereing your old blog talk radio days... yeesh)

You're back!!

I love you, Drew. Celebrity from At The Line!!

[tonight...you]

a non bolded non Donk Called it First not Dejounte (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=51342)

How do you feel now?

Tom Hollinger seems to still be salty with SA, that faggot has written a couple of articles in THE ATLANTIC(lol dying platform) about the 2019 class of rooks and has ignored Keldon Both Times. Fuck Hollinger Im glad you flamed out in Memphis. I'm happy you're gonna be shit out of a job when it folds.

Call in AT THE LINE you marbled mouth donks and spergs quit the circle jerk of the GAME THREAD.(BENAFACTORS maybe not you considereing your old blog talk radio days... yeesh)
Someone's getting their drunk on!
Awesome!

[Obi Juan Kenobi]

Yay Drew is back!!!

[r0drig0lac]

https://twitter.com/JeffGSpursZone/status/1348702676742238208

[Chinook]

Could be a call-up option once we get to 10-day season (or even sooner if the injuries continue). I expect him to be meh and at best be someone to follow during the bubble, but who knows?

[JohnnyMax]

First ever person to wear #0 in Spurs history. #00 has been worn three times and is retired for Johnny Moore.

[JohnnyMax]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6eh8Ml-ruO0

[John B]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6eh8Ml-ruO0

Damn I want my 3 mins back