Age

23

Height

6'6''

Weight

220

Workload

MIN%

67

USG%

21

TS%

57

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

17.9

REB

6.4

AST

2.2

STL

0.8

BLK

0.2

TOV

1.3

Efficiency

RIM FG%

62

MID FG%

42

3PT FG%

40

FT%

76

Jump to full report

Report by: Tyler Wilson

Keldon Johnson

Forward San Antonio Spurs

Fearless slasher with a growing perimeter game and defensive question marks

Age

23

Height

6'6''

Weight

220

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

17.9

REB

6.4

AST

2.2

STL

0.8

BLK

0.2

Positions Defended

Offensive Role

 

Defensive Role

   

Meet Keldon Johnson

Last season saw one of the most remarkable shooting developments in recent memory, with Keldon entering the year a relative non-shooter and exiting it with a place on the NBA’s 3-point leaderboard. The court began to open up for Keldon in a way we have not seen at the NBA level, his abrupt evolution into a spot-up marksman no longer allowed defenders to sag off and leave him open beyond the arc.

While the ability to stretch defenses and get hot from distance is beneficial, the most compelling part of Keldon’s game is his ability to get downhill, both off the catch and when utilizing a screen. He’s a runaway freight train once he gets a head of steam, entirely unafraid of attacking the rim. He isn’t the tallest or the longest at his position, but his strength is that of someone much larger.

He is still learning how to leverage that strength on both ends of the ball. His handle has improved significantly over the last 18 months, and with the recent reports he dropped ~20 pounds over the offseason and the available usage from the Dejounte Murray departure, Keldon should have more opportunity to explore the studio space with the ball in his hands.

While Keldon has a knack for getting into the paint, he has struggled to score efficiently at the rim against NBA big men. He is a better vertical athlete with a runway than in the confines of a pick-and-roll where he has to finish through or around his defender instead of over. His finishing craft has steadily improved over his career and he has impressive body control for someone his size. Keldon’s mid-range scoring bag is fledgling at best, but he began to show more of an interest in taking them as he found his touch throughout the year. He gets into his shot easily and has decent touch with his floater, but the second-level scoring package is still very much under construction.

During his first two seasons Keldon was a black hole attacking the basket, often missing wide open teammates one pass away in favor of a heavily contested layup. Last season he made some major strides in reading the court and making quicker decisions with the ball. With a new offensive pecking order in 2022 he should have the volume of opportunities needed to continue refining his ability to read a defense. Last season he was an accurate passer making basic reads to the big man or corner shooter, this season will be informative as to whether he can grow beyond that as a playmaker.

On the defensive side of the ball Keldon is a man without a country. He is slow-footed guarding the perimeter and has struggled to remain engaged and in sync within the defensive scheme. He has spent a lot of time guarding power forwards and is able to bang with them physically but he offers little to no secondary rim protection at that position. Keldon is more of a power athlete than a twitchy one and that shows up in his screen navigation on the perimeter and contesting shots.

After having lost 20 pounds in the offseason Keldon has looked more spry on the court and should spend more time at the three this season than the four. With some improved foot speed and awareness he could become somewhat of a wing-stopper with his strength and reach. He is solid in isolation where he doesn’t have to navigate a screen and has done well guarding larger forwards in the post. Time will tell what his ideal defensive role will be, but the changes he made this offseason may address some of his current deficiencies guarding the perimeter.

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