‘I don’t hold back’: UK recruit Keldon Johnson brings exactly what Calipari is looking for

Keldon Johnson has never been the biggest, fastest or most talented player in the basketball recruiting class of 2018.

He’s not the best shooter or the best ball handler or the highest-flying dunker or the highest-upside pro prospect.

He’s never really been in the discussion in any of those categories.

What sets Johnson apart — and it’s been apparent this week at the practices leading up to Wednesday night’s McDonald’s All-American Game — is his work ethic.

Oak Hill Academy (Va.) Coach Steve Smith, who knows a thing or two about top high school prospects, has continually praised Johnson’s approach to the game and commitment to getting better during the one season they’ve spent together.

Rivals.com national analyst Eric Bossi noted in his roundup Monday: “I thought his effort was as strong as anybody I saw.”

Bossi told the Herald-Leader after Tuesday’s practice that Johnson had clearly not only worked on his game over the past year but also his body, becoming a stronger, leaner, quicker and more athletic player.

He probably won’t be a top-five prospect — maybe not even top 10 — in the final class of 2018 rankings that are released later this spring, but he’s exactly the type of player college coaches want. And, by the way, he’s already signed with Kentucky.

Johnson, who spent his junior season at Huntington (W.Va.) Prep and his high school days before that at Park View (Va.), acknowledged taking things a bit more seriously once he got to prep powerhouse Oak Hill before this season.

“I always had the work ethic. But I think it really amped up,” he said. “You’re out there to really focus on basketball, so I definitely took the time to get my body right and get my mind right, things like that. I really emphasized that.”

Johnson was No. 13 overall in the 247Sports composite rankings heading into this week — middle of the pack among players at this McDonald’s All-American Game.

Yet he was among the standouts at the practices, primarily because of that energy level, which often manifests itself audibly. The talking is key to the success.

“It’s definitely a big part, because if you bring energy, it’s contagious,” Johnson told the Herald-Leader. “It gets your teammates to bring energy. That’s the main thing I try to do. Be vocal. Be loud. Because nobody’s loud, nobody wants to be vocal. … But that’s just me. I’m a loud, vocal person.

“So when they see me out there yelling, that’s just me. That’s not me stepping out of my comfort zone or none of that. … That’s just me.”

Is it something he’s aware of in the moment?

“It just happens,” Johnson said. “People be like, ‘Man, you yellin’ on a dunk.’ I don’t ever notice that I’m yelling. It’s just me playing basketball, playing the game I love.”

John Calipari and UK’s coaches noticed.

They waited until the end of last summer to extend a scholarship offer — a bit late, when it comes to recruiting — but Johnson has been on UK’s radar for years, and the coaching staff never questioned his commitment to the game.

“They like that I’m high energy, a natural born leader,” he said. “I just give it all I got when I’m out there. I don’t hold back.”

That’s something that USA Basketball junior national team coach Don Showalter has also noticed over the years. Johnson never got to play for one of Showalter’s teams, but he’s coached him at several camps and has watched his young career progress.

Showalter was sitting courtside at the McDonald’s practices this week, keeping an eye on Johnson and some of the other players who will represent USA Basketball at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore., next weekend.

The USA coach has been around Johnson and Calipari enough to predict that the high school star will “really respond” to the UK coach’s style. Showalter thinks it’ll be a good fit, and he smiled at every mention of that positive energy Johnson brings.

“I like his leadership ability as much as anything else,” he said. “He gets everybody involved in the game. He plays hard. He continually makes the right play. When you look at a basketball play — he knows when to make it. That says a lot about him.

“He’s going to go from being a really good player to being a great one, I think.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2018 at 6:59 PM with the headline "‘I don’t hold back’: UK recruit Keldon Johnson brings exactly what Calipari is looking for."