2021 NBA Draft Scouting Report: SG Keon Johnson

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

BIO

Pos: SG

Hometown: Shelbyville, TN

School: Tennessee

Class: Freshman

DOB (Age): 3/10/02 (Age 19)

Height: 6’4″ | Weight: 185 lbs.

Wingspan: 6’7.25” | Vertical: 48.0 inches

INTERESTING FACTS

Johnson’s mother, Conswella, was a 2x All-SEC player at Auburn, and a 2x Class AAA Tennessee Miss Basketball
Averaged 25 PPG both his Sophomore and Junior year of HS, before a torn meniscus cut his senior season short after 4 GP
Suffered 4 fractures in his hand and required surgery on blood vessels to avoid amputation due to a fireworks accident

ATHLETICISM

https://youtu.be/ywXjQ3GlhyY

Pros

Incredible leaping ability; highlight reel dunks and soaring through the lane for rebounds are the norm
Great burst and acceleration; can cover lots of ground quickly, especially recovering in transition defense
Very instinctual player; anticipates things well and uses lightning quick reflexes to his advantage
Explosive in the paint; gets into the air quickly and seemingly levitates at the apex of jumps
Quick feet laterally and in tight spaces, shows good potential in defending the perimeter
Overall best athlete in this draft class with room to grow in some areas which is scary

Cons

Needs to add strength needs to be added, early goal should be to add 15-20 pounds of muscle while staying explosive

Grade: A+

NBA SKILLS

Pros

Elite defensive potential; great at navigating screens on the perimeter and disrupts offensive flow
Very intense of the defensive end of the floor, embraces the assignment of the other team’s best player
Good footwork on both ends, can get around guys easily springing him loose for highlight dunks
Off ball skills are already at a high level; knows where to be at the court and when to help

Cons

Range needs work, he is able to hit a wide open 3, but struggles when there is defense pressing him
Shot form is not very fluid which results in a slight hitch; causes off the dribble shots to fall short
Still very raw with the ball in his hands, shows flashes of potential, but most moves need work
Shot selection will need to improve, did not make 1 pull up 3 all season, too many midrange jumpers
Over dribbles; needs to show more purpose with his move and make sure every dribble counts

Grade: B-

PRODUCTION

Pros

40.9 FT Rate shows he gets to the line frequently which will bode well for him as his shot progresses
94.5 D-Rating is very solid considering he guarded lots of high level prospects in the SEC
25.5 MPG: all numbers will look lower due to lack of playing time behind SEC veterans

Cons

27.1 3P%: needs to improve significantly for him to be considered a scoring threat in the league
.703 FT%: if he is able to increase this while getting to the line at the same clip, it will be a huge advantage
65 total assists and 69 total turnovers; needs to get better at reading defenses and picking his spots to drive
97.7 O-Rating: analytically unsuccessful season which will decrease playing time in the NBA
3.5 RPG should be higher for someone with such a significant presence above the rim
Multiple games with 20+ minutes and under 10 points

Grade: C+

RISK

Pros

Very young, will not turn 20 until well into his rookie season
Still has a lot to learn; started playing organized basketball when he entered high school
Natural athlete who is able to make plays that very few can with his leaping ability and speed
Hustles constantly, making opponents uncomfortable and energizing his teammates
If he is able to put it all together he can be an elite 2-way player in the modern NBA
High floor as an athletic defensive guard that can clamp opposing playmakers

Cons

New coach will need to put in serious work on his entire offensive game; 2-3 years away on that side of the ball
History of injuries is concerning, especially considering how high he elevates on most plays
Production leaves a lot to be desired, hasn’t earned more minutes with his current level of efficiency
Will need to gain weight while still maintaining his explosiveness
Was a complete non-factor offensively in a number of games

Grade: B

OVERALL

As far as today’s NBA athletes go, Keon Johnson is already in the upper echelon. Despite getting limited minutes for the Volunteers this season, Johnson’s stock has soared due to his athletic ability and two-way potential. The Tennessee native started his career for Rick Barnes coming off the bench but eventually worked his way into the starting lineup. He made solid contributions on the defensive end and created multiple highlight-reel dunks that showed off his elite athleticism.

As a prospect, Johnson is all over the map. However, his athletic ability is undeniable and will carry him through his early career. After he adds some weight, he has the potential to be great on the defensive side of the ball with his combination of speed and length. On the offensive end, the question marks revolve around his shot and the ability to develop the outside game.

He did not shoot well at Tennessee, and concern about his offensive development is real. However, there were signs of life on offense throughout the season, and paired with his high energy play and athletic prowess, he will be a very intriguing rookie to watch in 2021-22.

Pro Comp: Latrell Sprewell (retired)

Projected Rd/Pick: Late Lottery

Prime Destinations: WAS, GSW, MEM, OKC

OVERALL Grade: B