Spurs’ Keldon Johnson learned from variety of sources this season – San Antonio Express-News
Whether the lessons came from his coach or his veteran teammates, the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson soaked up plenty of knowledge during his sophomore season.
“It’s been amazing,” Johnson, 21, said of his growth after the Spurs shootaround in preparation for facing the Grizzlies on Wednesday night in a loser-goes-home Western Conference play-in game in Memphis.
“I’ve learned a lot. I’ve grown a lot — on and off the court — from just observing Pop and how he goes about things. … He’s taught me so many things.”
But it hasn’t just been coach Gregg Popovich who has helped Johnson make the leap from playing primarily in the G League as a rookie to a player who started 67 of 72 games this season at forward.
Veterans DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills, Rudy Gay and even Gorgui Dieng, who joined the team in late March, contributed to his growth, Johnson said.
“It was definitely beneficial,” Johnson said of the wisdom imparted to him from a group of players with a combined 47 seasons of experience. “Whether it was looking at DeMar and seeing how he breaks down the game and gets people involved in different ways to get to the free-throw line and score the ball, or Patty with leadership and positive vibes, and his shooting, and then Rudy and Gorgui, they are very hands-on with the younger guys.”
During various times this season, Popovich praised DeRozan, Mills and Gay for the leadership they exhibited in helping him and his staff teach young players like Johnson.
“He’s been a great teammate,” Popovich said most recently of Gay. “He’s been a mentor to a lot of these guys.”
In averaging 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists, Johnson said his biggest growth came in the area of becoming a better decision-maker on the court.
“At the beginning of the year, I was single minded, like, ‘All right. This is what I’m going to do,’” Johnson said, referring to his bull-like drives to the basket. “And now I feel like I am getting better and better at getting my teammates more involved.”
Popovich said Johnson has been a “steady improvement project” after the Spurs selected the Virginia native 29th overall in the 2019 draft after he starred as a freshman at Kentucky.
“With Keldon it’s a matter of decision-making,” Popovich said. “He’s a very aggressive player on the offensive end and learning about the spacial arrangements, how everybody is set in their spacing, what’s available in a crowd, that sort of thing. A young player with a lot of ability and a lot of energy, learning how to play the game.”
On the defensive end, Johnson’s biggest growth has come in terms of understanding what he’s up against on a nightly basis, Popovich said.
“Just basically starting from scratch in understanding about the other people in the league more than anything,” Popovich said. “Understanding the talent that they have, what their tendencies are, how to stay in front of people and, of course, learning team defense.”
Popovich called Johnson a “real joy” to coach and a “bright-eyed young man.”
“He’s a real upbeat individual,” Popovich said. “He’s always got a smile on his face. Always ready for laughter, a joke, and that’s alongside all the hard work that he does and the competitiveness he gives us night after night.”
Popovich glad to see
two coaches honored
Popovich said he was “thrilled” to see Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams win the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Michael H. Golberg Award Coach of the Year Award.
Williams, a former Spurs player, assistant coach and front office member, guided the Suns to their first 50-win season since 2009-10, which was also the club’s most recent trip to the playoffs before this season. Phoenix entered the postseason as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
“Monty did a great job,” Popovich said. “It was well-deserved and, of course, I am thrilled for him. He did a wonderful job.”
Popovich was also pleased that Rick Adelman was voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 16-member Class of 2021.
“Rick Adelman is in that same category as Rudy T. — he deserves it,” Popovich said, referring to Rudy Tomjanovich who entered the Hall of Fame on Saturday as part of the nine-member Class of 2020.
Popovich lobbied for both Adelman and Tomjanovich to enter the Hall.
“He’s been a great basketball guy for a very long time,” Popovich said of Adelman. “He’s been a winner and just a wonderful coach, so I’m happy for him.”
Adelman is the ninth-winningest head coach in league history finishing a career that spanned more than three decades with a record of 1,042-749 (.582) including two 60-win seasons with Portland in 1990-91 and Sacramento in 2001-02.
He coached the Trail Blazers to two NBA Finals appearances in 1990 and 1992.
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Twitter: @tom_orsborn