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The San Antonio Spurs have conducted a pre-draft interview with Tennessee shooting guard Keon Johnson, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
Keon Johnson, who set an NBA combine record with a preposterous 48-inch vertical leap, says he's interviewed with the Spurs, Warriors, Rockets, Pistons, Raptors and Heat.
— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) June 24, 2021
Hughes reports Johnson has also interviewed with the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat.
Keon was one of the 353 early entry candidates for the 2021 NBA Draft. He was also one of the 69 players invited to the 2021 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.
The 19-year-old might be the best all-around athlete entering the NBA. And he registered a 48-inch max vertical yesterday, breaking the previous combine-record of 45.5 inches set by Kenny Gregory in 2001.
Johnson averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game during his lone season as a true freshman for head coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers.
The 185-pound two-guard didn’t start playing organized basketball until high school but quickly found himself on recruiting radars, ranking as the 28th best player in the class of 2020 by his senior year.
Most national media mock drafts have Keon coming off the board by the middle of the lottery. But for all his unbelievable measurements, the six-five slasher will likely need plenty of assistance reforming his jumper.
That said, there aren’t many prospects who come close to the two-way upside Johnson provides, and he should shine in transition from the first second he steps foot on an NBA court.
Although collegiate players who applied for early entry into the 2021 NBA Draft have until July 7 to withdraw their name from consideration to keep their NCAA eligibility, Keon will presumably remain in the running.
The 2021 NBA Draft will take place on July 29 at 7 PM CST at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. ESPN and ABC will televise the first round, and the second round will air exclusively on ESPN.