Potential top-10 NBA Draft pick confirms he had pre-draft workout with Sacramento Kings
Tennessee guard Keon Johnson is making the rounds for a series of pre-draft workouts to show off his incredible athleticism after smashing the NBA Combine record with a 48-inch vertical jump.
Following a workout with the Golden State Warriors on Friday, Johnson revealed that he also had a pre-draft workout with the Kings, who have the No. 9 pick in the July 29 draft.
Johnson said he had already worked out with the Kings, Warriors, Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder. He said he had additional workouts scheduled with the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs.
Johnson, 19, is a 6-foot-4 ¾, 185-pound shooting guard who averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 25.5 minutes per game as a freshman at Tennessee. He posted per-36-minute averages of 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals, but he shot just 27.1% from 3-point range and 70.3% at the free-throw line.
Johnson will have to refine his skills at the offensive end, but he is already viewed as an outstanding defender. Coaches and staff and Tennessee describe him as a physical defender who plays with no fear, pointing out that he led the team in charges taken (11). Johnson has great anticipation, quick hands and outstanding lateral agility, tools that could help him become a lockdown perimeter defender in the NBA.
Tankathon.com ranks Johnson as the third-best shooting guard in the draft behind G League Ignite’s Jalen Green and Arkansas’ Moses Moody. The website currently has Johnson going to the Warriors at No. 7.
NBADraftRoom.com projects Johnson will fall to the San Antonio Spurs at No. 12, noting he is “a raw player who will take some time but the payoff could be worth it.”
The site went on to say: “Johnson will need some time to refine his ball-handling, shooting and playmaking skills but his elite athleticism and rock solid frame give him a nice NBA ceiling. … In some ways he plays like a young Ron Artest, being physical in the paint, rebounding the heck out of the ball and also initiating the offense as a point forward. Another player Johnson reminds me of is Jaylen Brown, with his physical driving style and high end athleticism. It’s too early to say if he’ll be as good as those two players but the tools are there.”
Other potential lottery picks who have participated in pre-draft workouts with the Kings include Arkansas guard Moses Moody, Duke forward Jalen Johnson, Turkish center Alperen Sengun, Texas center Kai Jones and Gonzaga forward Corey Kispert.
