Keyontae Johnson’s narrative will take another twist this weekend, as the 2020-21 SEC Preseason Player of the Year will enter the NCAA transfer portal. Johnson has entered and will likely pursue an opportunity to play elsewhere in his last year of eligibility, according to 247Sports. Johnson took part in Florida’s Senior Day rituals this season and even started the game ceremonially, but UF never cleared him medically following a frightening on-court collapse on Dec. 12, 2020, and was not planning to do so in the future.As a result, he was not anticipated to play for Florida in 2022-23 under new coach Todd Golden. Johnson collapsed on the court moments after seeming to pass out during the team’s 2020-21 season opener against Florida State. He was treated immediately and sent to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
Johnson was eventually evacuated to UF Health and released from the hospital ten days after collapsing. He worked as a player-coach for Florida for the last season and a half while undergoing more testing to establish the reason for his collapse, which has not been publicly disclosed. Johnson’s family has maintained that his collapse was unrelated to any current or former COVID-19 diagnosis.
Johnson was a standout for the Gators and was projected to be a first-round choice in the NBA Draft following his junior season. As a sophomore in the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season, he averaged 14.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game before starting the 2020-21 season with an average of 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the first four games until the collapse ended his UF career. Johnson’s entry via the NCAA transfer portal is noteworthy, particularly given that he had purchased a $5 million insurance policy before his junior season.
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