‘A kids’ game’: Player’s collapse forces SEC basketball coaches to think differently
If Kentucky fans want to put their favorite team’s 1-6 start to this season in perspective, Keyontae Johnson’s collapse on the court earlier this month could serve that purpose.
The Florida player collapsed in the first four minutes of a game at Florida State on Dec. 12. He was taken from the court on a stretcher in a non-responsive state.
“The players who weren’t in tears were in a virtual state of shock,” wrote Chris Harry of FloridaGators.com.
Johnson, who had contracted the coronavirus earlier in the year, underwent an MRI exam which revealed acute myocarditis, a heart condition that has been linked to COVID. He has since been discharged from the hospital, but will not play again this season.
During a Southeastern Conference teleconference Monday, UK Coach John Calipari recalled how his star player at UMass, Marcus Camby, collapsed the night before a game and required hospitalization.
Of the reaction to Johnson’s collapse, Calipari said, “You can see why there are guys that say, what are we doing?”
Vanderbilt Coach Jerry Stackhouse, whose father died this month at age 90, said Johnson’s collapse put basketball in perspective.
“There are way more important things than the game of basketball,” he said. “We live and die on a night-to-night basis on wins and losses.
“It lets us know that we’re playing a kids’ game, and we should be thankful for the opportunity. But it definitely puts things in perspective.”
Florida Coach Mike White said this larger perspective has been discussed in staff meetings.
“I’ve always loved my guys, and you always think you really love them,” he said. “But when you experience something that traumatic, it really makes you re-examine a lot of things. Perhaps most importantly, the love and care that you have for these young men as people more so than basketball players.”
Kentucky fans may recall how Keion Brooks explained the team’s preseason video supporting the Black Lives Matter movement by saying he and his teammates were more than merely basketball players.
For White, his player’s collapse drove home that point.
“It’s as big a reminder as anything else that the game of basketball is a beautiful thing, and it provides opportunities of a lifetime for . . . young men and women around the world,” the Florida coach said. “But it’s a game. It’s still a game.”
The relationships between coaches and players outweighs winning and losing, White said.
Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes cautioned against assuming coaches might be less demanding of players in light of Johnson’s collapse.
“I’m going to try to coach the way I coach,” he said. “And I think the greatest thing you can give your team is to be truthful. To be honest. To not play games with them because we know where they want to go. . . . I like to think we’re sound and solid in how we go about coaching our team every single day.”
Johnson, who was the media’s preseason pick for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, was the team’s leading scorer (16.0 ppg). He has rejoined the Florida team. But he will not play again. He attended practice Sunday for the first time since he collapsed.
“He’s helping us as a coach,” White said. “He actually blew a whistle . . . correcting guys and leading. . . .
“He’ll do a really good job in that role, and I think it will help his development down the road. Not only that, but I think it will give our guys another voice and a pure voice. And Keyontae will become an extension of us in the near future.”
On Monday, Florida guard Noah Locke second-guessed the team’s initial public reaction about wanting to continue playing basketball.
“When it happened, we all said we wanted to play,” he said, according to FloridaGators.com. “And honestly, I (felt) like I shouldn’t have said that. (Playing basketball) wasn’t something I could do at the moment of everything that happened.”
Florida (3-1) postponed games against North Florida (Dec. 16), Florida Atlantic (Dec. 19), Florida A&M (Dec. 20) and James Madison (Dec. 22). The Gators are scheduled to resume play Wednesday with an SEC opener at Vanderbilt. Kentucky is scheduled to play at Florida on Jan. 9.
“They’re ready to move on,” White said. “Not from Keyontae, but for Keyontae.
“These guys want to play basketball. We’ve got a ways to go with this team. We’re going to be a different team. But if we’re going to move forward, we’re going to do it correctly. We’re not going to half-step it. Our guys are committed to that.”
UK’s next game
Kentucky at Mississippi State
When: 6 p.m. EST Saturday
TV: SEC Network
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: Kentucky 1-6 (0-0 SEC), Mississippi State 5-3 (0-0)
Series: Kentucky leads 98-20.
Last meeting: Kentucky won 80-72 on Feb. 4, 2020, in Lexington.
