To know San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson is to know exactly what to expect when he speaks to the media. Every situation whether he’s the subject of trade rumors, sees his offensive role reduced, or experiences a shift in responsibilities is met with the same steady attitude. The longest-tenured Spur consistently maintains a composed and team-first mindset.
“This year, I faced it head-on,” Johnson said, summing up his approach with characteristic resolve.
Johnson made the comment in response to a question from *ClutchPoints* about whether his steady mindset could be attributed to this being his first full season as a sixth man. In truth, he could have been referring to any number of challenges he’s faced over the past year.
“It was a big change for me last year. That’s no secret,” said the former Kentucky Wildcat, reflecting on his shift in role.
Throughout the season, Johnson’s name repeatedly surfaced in trade speculation. When the Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox in February, he was mentioned as a possible piece in the deal. Last summer, when San Antonio reportedly pursued Lauri Markkanen, Johnson again became part of the rumor mill. Whenever the Spurs are linked to potential deals, his name is almost always in the conversation.
Keldon Johnson breaks down being ‘underappreciated
At 12.7 points and five rebounds per game off the bench, Keldon Johnson may have been the most consistent Spur this season. When you factor in the constant change and speculation surrounding him, it’s no surprise ClutchPoints asked the former Kentucky Wildcat if he ever felt underappreciated.
Johnson didn’t bite. Instead, he spoke like someone fully bought into the team-first culture.
“Sometimes your teammates play better,” he explained. “You’ve got to be happy for that. Sometimes it may be my night — I may score 20. Sometimes Julian may score 20. Being a good teammate means being happy when you see others having success. There were nights like that this year. I was happy for my teammates. It’s a little different. There’s nothing wrong with it being different. You’ve just got to roll with the punches and adjust.”
That response encapsulates Johnson’s mindset. Three seasons ago, the Chesterfield, Virginia native led San Antonio in scoring with 22 points per game. But the landscape shifted quickly. The Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama the following summer, and 2020 lottery pick Devin Vassell began realizing his potential. In the 2023-24 season, Gregg Popovich moved Johnson to a sixth-man role to bolster bench production a role he’s continued to embrace.
Asked whether coming off the bench full-time helped his consistency, Johnson was clear.
“I guess in a way, yeah, for sure,” the 29th pick of the 2019 draft said. “You try to build consistency by having the same role all season. I was building on that and really growing my game on and off the court.”
That development coincides with a contract that becomes even more team-friendly this summer. After making \$20 million and \$19 million the past two seasons, Johnson is set to earn \$17 million annually through 2026 a bargain for a proven contributor and culture-setter.
“I just tried to be as consistent as possible not only performance-wise, but teammate-wise,” Johnson said. “Being with my teammates and making sure I’m the kind of teammate everybody wants to play with.”
Despite trade rumors seemingly surrounding him every offseason from the Spurs’ pursuit of Lauri Markkanen to the De’Aaron Fox deal in February Johnson remains steady. At 25 years old, he’s the team’s longest-tenured player, and whether starting or leading the second unit, his approach hasn’t wavered.
In San Antonio, consistency is valued. And few embody it more than Keldon Johnson.
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