KEYONTAE Johnson has beaten more obstacles than most basketball prospects on his path to the NBA.

The Oklahoma City Thunder picked the 6-foot-6 wing at No. 50 in the 2023 NBA Draft – just 28 months after he suddenly found himself battling for his life.

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Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Keyontae Johnson battled for his life after a terrifying on-court collapse on his path to the NBACredit: Getty

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The Thunder picked Johnson with the No. 50 pick in the 2023 NBA DraftCredit: Getty
And so gratitude filled Johnson’s heart when deputy NBA commissioner Mark Tatum announced Johnson, 23, as the Thunder’s second-round pick.

“Hearing my name called was like a blessed moment just knowing a couple of years ago a lot of people were saying I won’t be able to play,” he said after his introductory press conference.

That same heart was behind Johnson’s on-court collapse while he was still with Florida and playing Florida State in December 2020.

In the first half, he hammered down a slam dunk off an alley-oop pass from Tyree Appleby to give the Gators an 11-3 lead.

A few moments later, the Virginia native stumbled and fell to the ground as he re-entered the floor after a timeout.

Once at the Tallahassee Memorial hospital, Johnson spent three days in a medically-induced coma.

The NCAA star was released 10 days after the accident took place.

But despite his recovery progressing at an amazing pace, the player’s NBA hopes were still left in the air.

At the time of his collapse, Johnson was a projected first-round pick after making All-SEC first team in 2020.

But he spent the next 20 months on the sidelines, fighting to get medical clearance so he could resume his career.

The green light came only after he transferred to Kansas State – with the talented wing finally diagnosed with “athlete’s heart, a condition in which the increase in cardiac mass due to systematic training can put lead to sudden death because of the extra stress on the heart.

Upon his return to the court, Johnson had to prove he was the same talented scorer with great defense while also showing he was fit enough to play at an elite level.

And he needed to do all that while knowing his age would always be working against him even if he eventually declared for the draft.

Johnson ended up averaging 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the Wildcats in 2022-23, scooping the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award and making the All-American third team.

He then put on a show in the NCAA Tournament before he and Kansas State ended their March Madness run in a regional finals loss to Florida Atlantic.

It turned out Johnson showed enough to get himself a shot at the NBA, impressing the Thunder with his tenacity and determination.

“[Johnson] is someone that has gotten better and better and better,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said last month.

“I think everybody understands his story is all about perseverance, resilience and bounce back.

“You can’t put into words what his story means. It crosses and transcends sports. Incredible that he’s here today.”

And Johnson felt loved from the moment he became part of the Thunder franchise.

“Oklahoma City coaching staff and the fanbase just welcomed me here, trusting and believing in me,” he said.

“Definitely a great experience.”