NEW YORK (AP) — Keyontae Johnson fought for his chance. Oklahoma City is giving him one.
Johnson was taken in the second round of Thursday’s NBA draft, going to the Thunder with the 50th overall pick. He starred at Kansas State this past season, but that’s just a tiny part of his story.
During a game for Florida — his former school — against Florida State on Dec. 12, 2020, he collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, where he spent three days in a medically induced coma. He sat out the rest of that season and all of the next, then transferred to Kansas State, where he began playing again and became one of the most important players on a team that reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Johnson could have accepted an insurance settlement worth millions, but that would have made him ineligible to play professional basketball. He didn’t take the money. He bet on himself. And the Thunder rewarded his persistence.
Getting drafted guarantees him nothing, but he’s got a shot.
The draft ended around 12:45 a.m. Eastern, with Kentucky’s Chris Livingston going to Milwaukee as the 58th and final pick.
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What to know:
— Emotional Victor Wembanyama goes No. 1 in NBA draft to Spurs
— Hornets, Michael Jordan make Brandon Miller the second overall pick
— Scoot Henderson rounds out top-3 selections, heading to Portland
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