2021 NBA Draft Profile: Keon Johnson

A springy wing with one of the most impressive athletic profiles in draft history, Johnson will likely be gone before the Knicks pick… but with the right slip, could be a trade up candidate.

Position: Wing, Tennessee

Age: 19 (3/10/2002)

Height: 6 ft 5 in

Wingspan: 6 ft 7 in

Weight: 185 lbs

Strickland 2021 Big Board Rank: 8

Keon Johnson was brought along slowly, as Tennessee unleashed him and fellow one-and-done stud Jaden Springer in controlled bursts early on while preferring to rely on their talented battle-tested upperclassmen. As the season wore on, though, Keon’s talent and impact became undeniable and harder to bottle up. An absolutely suffocating point of attack defender with lateral agility of a water strider and the explosiveness of a rocket ship, it was increasingly common to see him shut off ball handlers and turn defense into fast break dunk contests. 

While he relied on his incredible athleticism to do most of his damage, Keon also deployed a reliable midrange jumper as an alternative to his downhill forays. Unfortunately, that is about as complex as his game would get on offense. Teenagers stood no chance when he was within eight feet of the hoop with his 6-foot-5 size and nuclear athleticism, so whether there was even a necessity for much else is a real question. Teams looking to draft Keon will see him as arguably the best defender and best athlete in the class (as illustrated by his record-breaking 48-inch vertical at the Combine), and see his raw off-ball guard skills as an opportunity to create a monster rather than a hindrance.