Keon Johnson Declares for NBA Draft

[JelloPuddinPup]

Wish him the best of luck! Go represent the Vols!

 

[JelloPuddinPup]

 

[TheMookieMonster]

At least we can now move on from the recent illusion that he might be waiting to announce because he is returning.

Good luck, Keon! You will be missed. Thanks for giving us a year of your talent.

 

[BigBadVol]

Good luck but am I missing something? I know both kids are high rated draft picks and I don't blame them for going for the money but where does these evaluations come from? If they can't get pass Oregon State how are they going to contribute to the NBA so young? I'm clueless I guess.

 

[BruinVol]

Good luck but am I missing something? I know both kids are high rated draft picks and I don't blame them for going for the money but where does these evaluations come from? If they can't get pass Oregon State how are they going to contribute to the NBA so young? I'm clueless I guess.

Well that eliminates that kid from Oklahoma state as well then ....

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’m not sure how many times this needs to be said on this board, but the NBA drafts STRICTLY on your potential as a player. They do not care about the results of your season.

Keon has been a Top 10 pick since before he played a second of this season because of his athleticism, size, and defensive prowess. He can be taught everything else by the NBA developmental staff.

 

[Willy14]

Best of luck to the kid. Proud to call him a Tennessee Vol

With that being said, if Walker wasn't a lock to transfer before, then I believe is he now. All his recruiting class is leaving to go to the NBA so he is the odd man out in more ways than one.

 

[johnfnkelly]

I’m not sure how many times this needs to be said on this board, but the NBA drafts STRICTLY on your potential as a player. They do not care about the results of your season.

Keon has been a Top 10 pick since before he played a second of this season because of his athleticism, size, and defensive prowess. He can be taught everything else by the NBA developmental staff.

This needs to be pinned somewhere.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I’m not sure how many times this needs to be said on this board, but the NBA drafts STRICTLY on your potential as a player. They do not care about the results of your season.

Keon has been a Top 10 pick since before he played a second of this season because of his athleticism, size, and defensive prowess. He can be taught everything else by the NBA developmental staff.

Yes. How many spots did NBA teams use to have before practice rosters and the D/G league? Now players can be drafted and locked down by organizations while they are given time to mature.

 

[Blake25p]

Good luck to the kid, can’t wait to see him drafted early.

 

[TooLegit2Quit]

Go get paid young man! Dude should have a lengthy NBA career.

 

[Vols8086]

Yes. How many spots did NBA teams use to have before practice rosters and the D/G league? Now players can be drafted and locked down by organizations while they are given time to mature.

The NBA drafted this way even before the G League was formed as the NBDL in 2001.

 

[VolPack22]

Good luck but am I missing something? I know both kids are high rated draft picks and I don't blame them for going for the money but where does these evaluations come from? If they can't get pass Oregon State how are they going to contribute to the NBA so young? I'm clueless I guess.

I guess you are clueless because Keon is the prototypical NBA player. One of the most explosive athletes in college basketball this past year and plays loves taking on the challenge of guarding the other team’s best offensive player. Springer is a different type of player but he plays with great body control and has a good shot. He knows how to get to his spot on the floor, and that’s hard for most players, let alone a freshman. He also plays good defense. Both guys are also very unselfish players which bodes well for them at the next level. Veterans don’t like rookies coming in trying to run the show. Both will be good NBA players but Keon has the higher upside just because he is more explosive.

 

[cncchris33]

Good luck but am I missing something? I know both kids are high rated draft picks and I don't blame them for going for the money but where does these evaluations come from? If they can't get pass Oregon State how are they going to contribute to the NBA so young? I'm clueless I guess.

Clueless is probably harsh. Uninformed is perhaps more accurate, but that's not really anything to be ashamed of as it relates to the subject because it really is nonsensical in the idea that what the average person sees with their eyes doesn't necessarily equate or match up to their draft stock and professional opinions.

Both guys, on paper, and on the floor, looked like above average college basketball players. They showed flashes but as much, or more, they showed glaring holes. The NBA believes they can fix their issues, and will draft them where the consensus of GMs, scouts, and coaches believe they need to in order to land them based solely on potential, projection, and the belief that they can build on their strengths and fix or mask their deficiencies. Like the baseball draft, the NBA draft is so varying on success relative to draft position because so much of it has to do with projecting kids at 18 and 19 years old, which is a difficult thing to do.

 

[VFL 24/7]

Wish him the best of luck! Go represent the Vols!

Hope him and Jaden both are top 20 picks. Will be a great sell for our program. Good luck gentleman and thank you for representing our program will class!

 

[Catbone]

Still can't believe how bad this season was

 

[TrumpedUpVol]

First lottery pick since Allan Houston; after many years in the desert, it's nice to start seeing Tennessee players drafted with relative frequency again for the sake of recruiting.

 

[iluvsmesumdooley]

I’m not sure how many times this needs to be said on this board, but the NBA drafts STRICTLY on your potential as a player. They do not care about the results of your season.

Keon has been a Top 10 pick since before he played a second of this season because of his athleticism, size, and defensive prowess. He can be taught everything else by the NBA developmental staff.

That’s why the NBA is trash now.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The NBA drafted this way even before the G League was formed as the NBDL in 2001.

They drafted more. But were they able to keep as many players under contract?

 

[VFL 24/7]

If you think this season is on Jaden and Keon you're wrong. They're true freshman who honestly were the best 2 players. This season falls on the shoulders of the Vets (Yves, Fulky, Vescovi, Bailey, etc). If those guys would've played to their potential and what we were expecting out of them preseason, we would've been an Sweet 16 team at worst. Keon honestly was the only one vs Oregon State that even looked like he was trying to win.

 

[butchna]

Good luck but am I missing something? I know both kids are high rated draft picks and I don't blame them for going for the money but where does these evaluations come from? If they can't get pass Oregon State how are they going to contribute to the NBA so young? I'm clueless I guess.

Evaluating them individually for pro skillsets. NBA science. Terrance Edwards played for a crappy UGA team...didn’t hurt him.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Hope him and Jaden both are top 20 picks. Will be a great sell for our program. Good luck gentleman and thank you for representing our program will class!

Exactly. TN was a difficult place to sell when TN was on its 3rd coach in 3 years and 2 of the previous 3 were serving NCAA penalties while the other was suggesting that TN was a toxic, racist environment. Future lottery picks are electing to come play at TN, a program that was a blazing dumpster fire just a couple of years ago.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

If you think this season is on Jaden and Keon you're wrong. They're true freshman who honestly were the best 2 players. This season falls on the shoulders of the Vets (Yves, Fulky, Vescovi, Bailey, etc). If those guys would've played to their potential and what we were expecting out of them preseason, we would've been an Sweet 16 team at worst. Keon honestly was the only one vs Oregon State that even looked like he was trying to win.

I only include Pons and Fulk as the vets. It was Bailey’s first season playing and was sidelined for a year. Vescovi had less than a season of games logged and less than a year on campus (while a pandemic raged). Then the vets, especially Fulk, were limited due to injuries and medical issues.

 

[JohnnyD1024]

First lottery pick since Allan Houston; after many years in the desert, it's nice to start seeing Tennessee players drafted with relative frequency again for the sake of recruiting.

Marcus Haislip was a lottery pick in 2002

 

[VFL 24/7]

Exactly. TN was a difficult place to sell when TN was on its 3rd coach in 3 years and 2 of the previous 3 were serving NCAA penalties while the other was suggesting that TN was a toxic, racist environment. Future lottery picks are electing to come play at TN, a program that was a blazing dumpster fire just a couple of years ago.

Agreed. We can criticize Barnes all we want, but he did a phenomenal job of stabilizing our program and set us up for future success by making this job really attractive after he retires.