Gators Prepared for Emotional Reunion with Keyontae Johnson

The SEC/Big 12 challenge is upon us. However, the Gators' contest in the annual battle of conferences on Saturday is expected to carry more emotion than a bout for bragging rights as former Florida star forward Keyontae Johnson will be donning opposing threads.

The last time the two met, Johnson memorably kissed the large Gator logo in the middle of Billy Donovan court as an honorary starter. It marked the final goodbye after a tumultuous journey at UF.

Johnson, a multi-year starter for the Gators and NBA Draft prospect, collapsed on the court during a media timeout in 2020 during Florida’s contest against Florida State just seconds removed from punching home an alley-oop dunk. He was transported to a local hospital and was put in a medically induced coma soon thereafter.

His status gradually improved and he was released from the hospital 10 days later. His recovery process began there and stretched well over two years with the intention of returning to the hardwood. Johnson was ruled medically ineligible by Florida’s doctors, forcing him to operate from the sidelines in 2021-22 as "Coach Keyontae” on Mike White’s staff.

Current Gators head coach Todd Golden shared on Friday that he inquired about the possibility of getting him in the fold when he first took over the team last March, but the decision to sideline him due to health concerns for good had already been made.

“He had his situation and if he wanted to continue playing it would probably have to be somewhere else,” Golden said. 

Johnson refused to give up on his basketball career. Instead, he made the decision to enter the transfer portal after receiving his diploma from UF.

“It was very tough, but they just had to what was best for them medically and what they felt was safe for me,” he said when asked about the difficulties of not being cleared to play for Florida. “There is no ill will or hate for them. I’m still a Gator for life.”

Now, the former Gators star is flourishing under Jerome Tang at Kansas State, serving as a catalyst for the Wildcats' surge to the AP Top 5 this season. Brought into Manhattan by Tang this offseason, Johnson marked the most notable transfer into K-State to resurrect the poorly performing program. The Wildcats' activity in the portal is a major reason for their boost in play this year as Tang utilized the formula he and Scott Drew conceived at Baylor to win a national title in 2020-21. 

Producing in an uber-productive fashion as he did during his peak years at Florida, Johnson has accounted for 18.3 points and 7.5 rebounds on average to lead his new team to unforeseen heights this season alongside one of three remaining pieces from last season in guard Markquis Nowell. His elite play impressively comes after two years off the court.

Florida realizes the challenges he presents.

"Really good physical player,” Golden said when asked to present a scouting report on Johnson. “Talented offensive player. Can play multiple positions and score on all three levels. We’re just going to have to do a really good job smothering him and not give him driving lanes to the rim, honor his three-point shot, because he’s proven he can make that. 

“I think the best thing you have to do is keep him out of the paint, keep him off the line and make him finish over size. He’s one of the best players in the Big 12, so we’re going to have our hands full with him Saturday night.” 

Coming off a loss on Tuesday to Iowa State, the Wildcats are looking to rebound to remain in the running for a potential one-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

While that’s the main focus for Johnson, he can’t help but exude excitement for performing against the team he originally committed to.

“It's going to be amazing, just playing against the team I started college basketball and just seeing my brothers back on the court and just having to have that feeling of a family base around me again,” Johnson said.

While the squad looks drastically different from when Johnson occupied a spot on the team (as a player or a coach), several pieces (Myreon Jones, Kowacie Reeves Jr., Niels Lane, Jason Jitoboh) remain.

Fellow former teammate Colin Castleton has followed Johnson’s road to recovery dating back to the day he collapsed in Tallahassee. He shared following Florida’s victory over South Carolina on Wednesday that he remains in consistent contact with the former UF forward, extending praise for the good games each has produced this season.

That fact makes his unexpected rise back to the forefront of college basketball enjoyable for Castleton, even as he gears up to face off against him for just the second time outside of a Florida practice.

“I know him personally, and that’s all he wanted to do,” the Gators big man said on Friday. “All he wants to do is play basketball. That’s what he loves doing, that’s what he cares about, and he was always telling us, like, ‘Man, I just can't wait until I can play.’ He just loves basketball. 

“That’s all he wants to do but he wasn’t able to, he was limited, but you know being able to see him, you know, do well and happy. He's genuinely happy. He's loving it, he's smiling. That's all I care about.”

Heading into the matchup against him, Castleton understands the trouble that the fifth-ranked team in the country presents. As a unit currently sitting on the bubble for March Madness, set to endure a daunting four-game stretch, winning now is imperative for Florida.

Castleton, a fifth-year senior in his final campaign, understands that. He’s focused on the task at hand. 

“I've been watching them,” he said. “They're a good team, so we’ve got to be ready.”

Golden echoed his sentiment to remain grounded in the face of high intensity when the contest tips off.

“We’re really competitive and we want to go win Saturday, but we’re happy for him to kind of revitalize his career and have the success that he’s had. Again, I want him to have a lot of great success, except for Saturday.”

Florida is prepared to endure the already difficult matchup amid the emotion the reunion with Johnson will bring.

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