Florida transfer Keyontae Johnson commits to Kansas State

On3 imageby:Jack Pilgrim08/20/22

Florida star forward Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed during a game against Florida State back in December 2020 and was forced to miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season and all of 2021-22, is transferring.

Medically cleared to play for the first time since his incident 20 months ago, the standout wing is set to join the Kansas State basketball program as a transfer in 2022-23.

He announced his commitment this afternoon.

“I chose Kansas State because the coaching staff wants their players to get better every day, on and off the court, and the fan base is one of the top in the country,” he told On3.

Unable to play since the incident, Florida honored Johnson on Senior Day against Kentucky this past season, putting him in the starting lineup for the opening tip-off. He dribbled the ball around while hugging his teammates, then kissed the O’Connell Center floor before heading back to the bench 10 seconds into the game.

John Calipari gave him a big hug before Johnson returned to his seat.

“This is a day you’ll never forget,” the SEC’s 2020 Preseason Player of the Year said after the heartwarming moment.

“I hugged him and I said I wish you were playing,” Calipari said after the game. “I got a little emotional. … This kid, his whole life had been to be in this moment and these kind of games, and it was taken from him. So good for Florida for figuring out a way to really honor him and their fans for what they’ve done.”

Prior to the medical emergency in 2020, Johnson was leading the team with a scoring average of 19.7 points. He previously averaged 14.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game as a sophomore in 2019-20.

Now, the 6-foot-5 wing will be taking his talents to Kansas State, choosing the Wildcats over Memphis, Nebraska and Western Kentucky, among others.

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2024-03-28