Tennessee wing Keon Johnson announced Wednesday that he is declaring for the NBA Draft and signing with an agent after a strong freshman season with the Volunteers. Johnson is No. 9 in the 2021 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings and was a No. 6 selection mock draft by Kyle Boone of CBS Sports.
At 6-foot-5 and with explosive athleticism, Johnson’s primary calling card is defense. He developed a reputation as a lockdown defender in the SEC before also taking on a major offensive role down the stretch, averaging 16.8 points in Tennessee’s final five games.
Though Johnson mostly met the hype of his five-star prospect rating in the 247Sports Composite, 3-point shooting will be a skill he’ll need to improve at the next level. Johnson made 27.1% of his 3-point attempts and took just 1.8 per game in his lone season with the Volunteers.
“Since our season ended, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking, praying and consulting my family and coaches, and I have decided to enter the 2021 NBA Draft with representation,” Johnson said in a post announcing his decision. “I am forever thankful to God for blessing me with talents, surrounding me with a solid support system and positioning me to take this next big step.”
Johnson’s departure comes after fellow five-star freshman Jaden Springer announced he’s also turning pro after one season with the Volunteers. Tennessee finished 18-9 this season and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed against No. 12 seed Oregon State.