Keldon Johnson is Pat Beverley on defense

[Dejounte]

https://twitter.com/SASpurs5/status/1141968451998756864?s=19

Finally found a video of his defense. I think this is the real reason we drafted him.

[DavidTheGoliath]

If this translates to the nba. They can field Dj, DWhite and him at the wings then Jakob in the interior. Dat defensive potential. :lobt2:
Oh and lamarcus aint no slouch himself.

[ceperez]

https://twitter.com/SASpurs5/status/1141968451998756864?s=19

Finally found a video of his defense. I think this is the real reason we drafted him.

That's not bad... not bad indeed! He was projected at the teens. Spurs got their steal.

[Dejounte]

Pat Beverley's wingspan is only 6'7" which is somewhat average for a point guard. He is also really short. Given this, he is still one of the best defenders at his position.

I think Keldon's hustle and defense + potential on offense could make him a star. People act like Keldon is a 1 dimensional shooter on offense and gets compared to Danny Green. I think this is way off base. Keldon glides to the rim like nothing and has dribbling skills and never looks like hes a 5 year old dribbling the ball like Danny Green.

RC makes a good point about this kid. Keldon was able to shine on a stacked team and he was only a freshman. Kinda reminds me of OKC's Harden.

[cd021]

He's a bit too handsy. He's gonna have to reign that in to keep from picking up cheap fouls but seemed like he was about to stick to his man, can use his length to keep his man from getting shots up.

The tools are there though.

[jermaine]

Him an Murray is gonna fight in practice. I'd bet money on that.

[bic50]

I know pop doesn’t usually trust rookies but with that kind of effort on defense I can definitely see him getting decent playing time.

[MVPCues]

That video made it worth buying a few dozen shares.

[Kurik]

Great video, love the energy he plays with.

[Harry Callahan]

There was a certain someone who used to fight through screens for the Spurs a few years ago. Then that certain someone stopped fighting through screens.

I like that effort. Good to see.

[Dejounte]

There was a certain someone who used to fight through screens for the Spurs a few years ago. Then that certain someone stopped fighting through screens.

I like that effort. Good to see.

Who?

[timvp]

Should be noted that highlight package features a pink Euro team, a high school All-Star game and Transylvania sans Dracula.

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

Should be noted that highlight package features a pink Euro team, a high school All-Star game and Transylvania sans Dracula.

Lmao:rollin

The pink uniform team is Goga Bitadze team. I agree though with the video they used for his defense. It's against teams and players who he most likely is more athletic and stronger than.

Hopefully his defense can translate to the pros and his shooting gets better

[CGD]

I’ll take PJ tucker 2.0!!

[Mugen]

Should be noted that highlight package features a pink Euro team, a high school All-Star game and Transylvania sans Dracula.

Sounds like he can lock up Patty, Forbes, and Beli no problem then.

[TDomination]

Cool. The only thing i hate about seeing these videos that excite me about players we draft is that i know i'm going to have to wait at least a year to really see him in action. But i hope he somehow gets himself onto the main roster this year and is able to get real minutes by the end of the season.

[Atl Spur]

Defense is want to........ he will be a dog!

[SpurPadre]

Sounds like he can lock up Patty, Forbes, and Beli no problem then.

If only we can trade each of them to 3 different teams...

[Dverde]

Kel-Don Johnson going to lock down fools using his Miami Vise grips

[phxspurfan]

Cool, I hope he pulls a Pat Beverly on Westbrook then

[look_at_g_shred]

Cool, I hope he pulls a Pat Beverly on nephew then
FIFY

[phxspurfan]

Cool. The only thing i hate about seeing these videos that excite me about players we draft is that i know i'm going to have to wait at least a year to really see him in action. But i hope he somehow gets himself onto the main roster this year and is able to get real minutes by the end of the season.

Well maybe he won't have a thigh bruise that keeps him out of all of training camp/preseason, then he will have a chance to play at least some minutes.

[TimmyBuckets]

He looks slow tbh. Hard worker, but doesn't look like a really gifted defender, but then again D is mostly work. Hoping for the best.

[slick'81]

Dude def busts his ass on d.Hopefully spurs found a solid bench piece here

[R. DeMurre]

Looking at the video, I could see some having a concern that he might be overly aggressive/foul prone, but he only averaged 2.2 fouls per game while playing 30.7 mpg, so it seems like that's not an issue. It's pretty impressive that he could defend that aggressively and have such low foul numbers.

[Spurs da champs]

Sounds like he can lock up Patty, Forbes, and Beli no problem then.

:lmao

[cd021]

I know pop doesn’t usually trust rookies but with that kind of effort on defense I can definitely see him getting decent playing time.

At the moment, it doesn't look like Walker is going to have a role next season- let alone KJ.

[BSfromTX]

He looks slow tbh. Hard worker, but doesn't look like a really gifted defender, but then again D is mostly work. Hoping for the best.

I tend to agree. He gives the effort for sure, but doesn’t move as fast as say a prime Bowen

[ceperez]

Looking at the video, I could see some having a concern that he might be overly aggressive/foul prone, but he only averaged 2.2 fouls per game while playing 30.7 mpg, so it seems like that's not an issue. It's pretty impressive that he could defend that aggressively and have such low foul numbers.

If he defends like this, Walker IV would be out of a job. Walker IV has talent, but doesn't seem to make enough effort on defense.

[SAGirl]

Should be noted that highlight package features a pink Euro team, a high school All-Star game and Transylvania sans Dracula.
:rollin
You do have a sense of humor! Good one :clap:clap

[NameLess Scrub]

Pat Beverly?

Is he gonna injure stars and get in trash talk wars with far superior players?

Guess we'll see on 2020-2021 season.

[SAGirl]

At the moment, it doesn't look like Walker is going to have a role next season- let alone KJ.
This is probably premature bc we haven’t see him yet, but I’d be alarmed if Walker doesn’t play next year. I figure he’s going to start getting opportunities and from there it’s up to him. He’s going to have to wrestle minutes from someone and make the best of his opportunities when they are given + injuries minutes he may get. That’s how ever young player in recent seasons has made it in. I’d expect Walker to earn minutes next year somehow.

He’s young so if he’s not ready it’s not the end but you definitely have to raise an eyebrow. Also, he could be the one getting injured again, I hope not.

[UZER]

Great hustle and will, not so quick feet. Hes a little ploddy. Patrick Beverly is quick. I think he’ll have trouble staying in front of the quicker guys. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a good team defender.

We’ll see his D translates to the NBA.

[look_at_g_shred]

Think of him as more of a disruptor. "Fucking the play up" as my good friend Chris Simms says.

[cd021]

This is probably premature bc we haven’t see him yet, but I’d be alarmed if Walker doesn’t play next year. I figure he’s going to start getting opportunities and from there it’s up to him. He’s going to have to wrestle minutes from someone and make the best of his opportunities when they are given + injuries minutes he may get. That’s how ever young player in recent seasons has made it in. I’d expect Walker to earn minutes next year somehow.

He’s young so if he’s not ready it’s not the end but you definitely have to raise an eyebrow. Also, he could be the one getting injured again, I hope not.


If Pop starts Jakob then its hard to see Walker playing unless they make a move tbh.

Murray, White, DDR, LMA, Poeltl
Mills, Forbes, Bertans/ Beli/ Walker, Gay

Walker would have to beat out Bertans and Beli in order to win the backup 3 minutes.

[SAGirl]

If Pop starts Jakob then its hard to see Walker playing unless they make a move tbh.

Murray, White, DDR, LMA, Poeltl
Mills, Forbes, Bertans/ Beli/ Walker, Gay

Walker would have to beat out Bertans and Beli in order to win the backup 3 minutes.
He just might do that. If you can’t beat either for minutes that’s still an eyebrow raiser. Davis hasn’t been a Pop favorite and at times has been out of the rotation. Regardless of what his fans like to argue, Pop has always been reluctant to play him as a 3 and if he has someone else to play there, he doesn’t.

Belli is a bench player that should be beatable for a talented Walker by just showing up defensively while providing some scoring.

[John B]

That’s like Bowen and Beverly had a baby. How Bowen got under people’s skin, Allen, Nash, Kobe

He might foul out though with Harden, Curry, Thompson sissy foul baits

[cd021]

He just might do that. If you can’t beat either for minutes that’s still an eyebrow raiser. Davis hasn’t been a Pop favorite and at times has been out of the rotation. Regardless of what his fans like to argue, Pop has always been reluctant to play him as a 3 and if he has someone else to play there, he doesn’t.

Belli is a bench player that should be beatable for a talented Walker by just showing up defensively while providing some scoring.

Bertans would be playing along side the Gay, so he'd probably be playing the 4 and Gay the 3. Bertans and Beli were good rotation players last season, Walker beating both out and having them both be out of the rotation- especially considering that they were two of the Spurs best shooters on a team that was next to last in 3pt attempts, seems like a tall task. Even with an improvement from Walker.

[SAGirl]

Bertans would be playing along side the Gay, so he'd probably be playing the 4 and Gay the 3. Bertans and Beli were good rotation players last season, Walker beating both out and having them both be out of the rotation- especially considering that they were two of the Spurs best shooters on a team that was next to last in 3pt attempts, seems like a tall task. Even with an improvement from Walker.
I do think it’s possible that he beats out someone. There’s a lot of redundancy in this team and Davis doesn’t have to be paired up with Gay except bc he can’t play the 3 himself. I am not picking up on him but his minutes can easily be redistributed. It could also be Belli. If you have a bench with Mills and Belli you already have shooting and don’t need Davis or viceversa with Belli. If Walker can provide some skills that the other don’t have in addition to some shooting that’s all you need iMO. Again, I am not singling out anyone. I do think there’s room and chance for him to come in hungry and beat out someone somewhere. That’s how the league is. You then trade whomever was beat a la Pau or let them run the course of the season in the deep bench for injury insurance.

They may decide someone else is beat instead, or someone takes himself out of the running with an injury. All things that have happened recently.

[Babyboy]

seems like he got his own IG model in Brittany renner lol, might have the IG brothers on our hands

[SAGirl]

Bertans would be playing along side the Gay, so he'd probably be playing the 4 and Gay the 3. Bertans and Beli were good rotation players last season, Walker beating both out and having them both be out of the rotation- especially considering that they were two of the Spurs best shooters on a team that was next to last in 3pt attempts, seems like a tall task. Even with an improvement from Walker.
I also have to say. There’s a possibility someone in these recent draft busts. It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to stick. I am hoping that is not Walker as he has been touted as having a lot of potential and I want the Spurs to improve not get worse, but there’s a chance someone doesn’t put it all together or has career altering injuries. Who? Metu seems like a candidate but as a low second round pick he has always been a long shot.

Walker not panning out would be a bust IMO but I think physically he’s too gifted and with some skill as a shooter there’s no way he doesn’t become a player. (Injuries can derail anybody though). Then you’d have to look at Samanic as a boom or bust pick and considering where he was taken there’s some possible bust potential there. People don’t like to look at this so close to the draft but if you are arguing Walker can’t beat out edge of the rotation roleplayers then it becomes a concern. There’s the possibility he never gets opportunities to beat out anyone but I don’t believe that’s how the Spurs treat their players after they pay their dues the first season in Austin.

[picnroll]

Assuming Walker doesn’t take a major leap this year, which I wouldn’t entirely rule out, he may get relatively limited minutes, blow outs, DNPs spot here and there in the heart of the game this coming year. But the following year Derozan May opt out and be gone, Beli will be gone. That’s when next years seasoning should come to fruition.

Johnson will likely take the same path. If they all pan out Spurs should have some trade fodder to get a great pick or needed player on a good contract

[Weaselfish]

The problem is, walker's a shooting guard; and not a particularly tall one at that. This is the problem with stacking half of your roster with short guards. No matter how good of a guard he may be, there's only 48 min at that position. When you try to stick someone with limited positional flexibility in a role they physically aren't suited for, they look much worse than they really are. In an ideal situation, walker would get the chance to at the very least lock down the backup 2 for at least a year while we see if he can add pg skills. Instead, pop is almost forced to play mills/belli/forbes (because shooting) white/walker(because established talent), and derozen (because both) ahead of him at his natural position; and hope he can flex a point guard body to small forward. Unfortunately for him, unless at least one of mills, forbes, or beli is moved; i don't see him getting enough minutes for him to develop. Which is unfortunate because defence ( the one skill we desperately need him to excell at) may not be enough to keep him in the court till his offence comes around.

[paperboy77]

He looks slow tbh. Hard worker, but doesn't look like a really gifted defender, but then again D is mostly work. Hoping for the best.

Does look slow. Hopefully he can gain the respect of the refs. In today’s soft ass NBA that may be a while. Going to have to do some spectacular stuff to get there.

[RC_Drunkford]

The problem is, walker's a shooting guard; and not a particularly tall one at that. This is the problem with stacking half of your roster with short guards. No matter how good of a guard he may be, there's only 48 min at that position. When you try to stick someone with limited positional flexibility in a role they physically aren't suited for, they look much worse than they really are. In an ideal situation, walker would get the chance to at the very least lock down the backup 2 for at least a year while we see if he can add pg skills. Instead, pop is almost forced to play mills/belli/forbes (because shooting) white/walker(because established talent), and derozen (because both) ahead of him at his natural position; and hope he can flex a point guard body to small forward. Unfortunately for him, unless at least one of mills, forbes, or beli is moved; i don't see him getting enough minutes for him to develop. Which is unfortunate because defence ( the one skill we desperately need him to excell at) may not be enough to keep him in the court till his offence comes around.

The problem is Pop loves to play players out of position. Patty Mills at SF, Kyle Anderson at SG, David West at C, the list is long. I totally expect him to play a bunch of SGs at SF this year again instead of signing a real SF

[SAGirl]

The problem is, walker's a shooting guard; and not a particularly tall one at that. This is the problem with stacking half of your roster with short guards. No matter how good of a guard he may be, there's only 48 min at that position. When you try to stick someone with limited positional flexibility in a role they physically aren't suited for, they look much worse than they really are. In an ideal situation, walker would get the chance to at the very least lock down the backup 2 for at least a year while we see if he can add pg skills. Instead, pop is almost forced to play mills/belli/forbes (because shooting) white/walker(because established talent), and derozen (because both) ahead of him at his natural position; and hope he can flex a point guard body to small forward. Unfortunately for him, unless at least one of mills, forbes, or beli is moved; i don't see him getting enough minutes for him to develop. Which is unfortunate because defence ( the one skill we desperately need him to excell at) may not be enough to keep him in the court till his offence comes around.
A valid point and the gluttony of small SG has been a problem discussed everywhere. Even when Belli was signed last summer some of us were like !!!! To put it mildly. There's the possibility that walker does get minutes but not enough to make a leap from some shaky appearances last season, just enough to learn and get ready for the 3rd season when one would really expect him to be a regular. That's actually the most realistic perspective. I would really like to see him play next season and I am expressing disappointment already if he doesn't. If he's simply not ready for it, I think I will be just as disappointed but not at PATFO, but at him.

[FkLA]

If his defense is really as solid as his highlights suggest the pick becomes a little more likeable. I remember reading someone state that the Spurs see him as a Green replacement and I guess that kind of makes sense. He'll never be much of a slasher, imo. He can dribble better than Green (so can I though) but he doesn't have a quick first step and is a pretty average athlete.

Just have him focus on his three, keep bringing that same energy on defense and if he turns into a solid 3&D guy I'll be happy, tbh.

[kw780101]

Well maybe he won't have a thigh bruise that keeps him out of all of training camp/preseason, then he will have a chance to play at least some minutes.
Does he have an uncle?

[keithington1]

Just watched a Kentucky Carolina game. Cam Johnson was scoring on everyone but him. He’s pretty much lock down. Wish he would crash the glass more. He only shoots open shots and he usually makes the shot. How can I hate when he makes barely any mistakes. Pop can mold this guy.

[Dejounte]

Just watched a Kentucky Carolina game. Cam Johnson was scoring on everyone but him. He’s pretty much lock down. Wish he would crash the glass more. He only shoots open shots and he usually makes the shot. How can I hate when he makes barely any mistakes. Pop can mold this guy.

Dont need him to crash the boards when we have Dejounte for that.

[Atl Spur]

He’s solid; Lonnie will get some burn this year as well.

[kobyz]

He's at least the next Wesley Matthews!

[cutewizard]

de fense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chris]

He's a bit too handsy. He's gonna have to reign that in to keep from picking up cheap fouls but seemed like he was about to stick to his man, can use his length to keep his man from getting shots up.

The tools are there though.

Yeah like Bruce says: "show the refs your hands"

His footwork is very Bruce Bowen like imo