LA Clippers: What does first-round pick Keon Johnson bring to LAC?

With the 21st overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, the LA Clippers drafted Keon Johnson out of the University of Tennessee.

The Clippers did not own this pick, hence Johnson donning a New York Knicks’ hat on stage. The teams swapped first-round picks and the Clippers also sent a future second-rounder in order to move up to select the bouncy freshman.

The LA Clippers drafted Keon Johnson with the 21st pick of the NBA draft, but his impact in the rotation may take time to transpire.

Prior to his freshman season at Tennessee, Johnson was projected to land closer to — if not inside — the lottery. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony projected him seventh overall in a Nov. 24 mock draft. Givony also referenced Johnson as the “dark horse,” given his high school ranking in ESPN’s Top 100.

"“Likely to see time as a big playmaker who defends all over the floor, Johnson is another high-upside prospect who could make a run at the top five, similar to Isaac Okoro did,” Givony wrote."

Fast forward to now, it’s fair to say Johnson didn’t end up making that run nor did he prove to become much of a playmaker. He fell multiple picks out of the lottery and averaged 2.6 turnovers to his 2.5 assists per game.

However, his play at Tennessee backed Givony’s description of him having a high upside and being a versatile defender. If he’s to become a rotation piece for the Clippers, it’ll be because of this and his record-breaking athleticism.

Johnson’s frame doesn’t necessarily shout athletic phenom. He stands at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan and weighs 185 pounds. Like most freshman players out of college, he’ll need to bulk up to help battle NBA players.

But what does scream athleticism is his vertical leap. He shattered the NBA combine max-vertical leap record. Once held by Kenny Gregory in 2001 who jumped 45.5 inches, Johnson leaped 48 inches to set the record 20 years later.

With great athletic ability, typically comes good defensive potential — hopefully for the Clippers. Johnson flashed some excellence at Tennessee, garnering 1.1 steals per contest and racking up 1.4 defensive win shares across 27 games. He also held a 94.5 defensive rating.

On the other end of the ball, Johnson’s athletic ability translated into thunderous dunks and strong finishes around the rim. He shot 44.9 percent from the field, which is good but was still tanked due to his poor 27.1 percent from behind the 3-point line. On just 2-point attempts, he shot 49.2 percent.

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His speed and leaping ability will be key components to his game moving forward, but he will need to improve his 3-point percentage to earn respect from NBA defenders.

Luckily for him, he lands with the LA Clippers who should have him play in the G-League. With players such as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George starting in the wing positions, and Luke Kennard, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris and Terance Mann filling in behind the stars, Johnson won’t have many opportunities.

It’s better for him to get consistent reps in the G-League in order to develop his game for later in his career. After all, Johnson is still just 19 years old and won’t turn 20 until March. He has plenty of time to develop.