Keon Johnson earned impressive feedback from OKC Thunder
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder own three first-round picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, for now. While James Bouknight seems to be the clear option at pick-six, Sam Presti is still doing his diligence as it relates to prospects that could fall to pick 16 or 18. Enter Keon Johnson, an eye-popping athlete from the University of Tennessee.
Polarizing prospect Keon Johnson received impressive feedback from OKC Thunder
After finding out about Keon Johnson’s workout with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the combine, I heard the Thunder liked the Tennessee product a lot. Today, during his pre-draft media session, I asked him about his experience with the Thunder. He did not disappoint.
I asked Keon how his workout with OKC went “I feel that the workout went very well. They loved how I came in and shown how much I got better. I do feel that Oklahoma would be a good fit for me as far as the young guys they have. The feedback I got, they were really impressed.”
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) July 26, 2021
The Thunder being really impressed with the hyper athlete that broke leaping levels at the combine is not surprising. When you search for Keon Johnson you will see it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly. He is by far one of the most polarizing players in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The first thing to know about the feedback Johnson received from OKC, he is not in consideration at pick-six, so there is no need to overreact.
One trend within the fanbase is comparing Keon Johnson to former long athletic prospects that could not shoot that enamored OKC. Terrance Ferguson and Hamidou Diallo come to mind for most.
The fact Diallo has played his way from a second-round pick to a player earning a qualifying offer this summer and entering his fourth year in the league is considered a success story.
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This past season, on 1.3 attempts per game from beyond the arc, Diallo shot a career-best 34-percent. That is thanks to a shooting explosion in Motown, as Diallo’s mark with the Pistons reached 39-percent from deep.
Sure, Terrance Ferguson has since washed out of the league, with a ton of off-the-floor issues dragging him down, but even he was a plus 30-percent three-point shooter the first two years of his career.
Keon Johnson shot 29.7 percent from beyond the arc in his one year with the Vols. However, without playing alongside any semblance of a point guard, Johnson was not able to show off his good catch and shoot numbers enough.
The Tennessee product patterns his game after Kawhi and claims he is a different player now than he was in college.
With his good catch and shoot numbers, good pick and roll numbers, excellent cutting ability, and very good post-up play for his size there is reason to believe the 19-year-old can progress offensively.
While he is not in consideration at six, but if the OKC Thunder stay put at pick 16 and 18, and Johnson slides, he will be.
dark. Next. Keon Johnson NBA Draft profile