Keldon Johnson shines as the San Antonio Spurs’ key sixth man, and Luke Kornet appreciates all he’s done.
SAN ANTONIO — Keldon Johnson has been among the many bright spots for the San Antonio Spurs this season.
Aside from his reputation for being the team’s energy guy on the court and in the locker room, his play off the bench this season has been eye-catching.
Off the bench, Johnson is averaging 13.5 points, a career-high 6.4 rebounds, an efficient 57% field-goal percentage, and has a whopping plus/minus of +95 total this season.
Indeed, Johnson is a huge key to the Spurs’ success this season, and his new teammate, Luke Kornet, is impressed at how much the longest-tenured player on the roster is playing.
“He’s been incredible all year,” Kornet said. “His physicality and his scoring are something that we definitely need.”
The bona fide candidate for the 2025-26 NBA Sixth Man of the Year has been the team’s most consistent and steady player throughout the season.
At home against the Lakers on Jan. 7, he scored 27 off the bench to help push the team to the 107-91 win after a somewhat sluggish start, and when he scores 13-plus points this season, the team is well above .500 at 12-6.
But it is not just his offensive skills that have caught Kornet’s eye. He appreciates Johnson’s rebounding and putting offensive pressure in the lane.
“I like his offensive rebounding, just putting pressure on the paint. Stuff like that.”
Johnson’s overall rebounding has been his best improvement this season. He’s averaging a career-best 2.1 offensive rebounds per game and in rebounds per game 6.4.
And he’s doing all this, while still displaying that infectious energy, in just 23.5 minutes per game, which is the second lowest in his career.
“His ability to make plays, especially in space, on closeouts, is something that just really adds a lot to our team,” Kornet said.
Overall, Johnson has been one of the team’s most reliable players this season. This is a testament to someone who was the de facto face of the franchise pre-Victor Wembanyama, played in a starting role, averaging over 30 minutes per game, and is now accepting a role off the bench, with reduced minutes, yet still excelling on the court and impacting wins.
He is arguably one of the best reserves in team history as he now ranks among the franchise’s best reserve scorers at 2,275 career points, ranks No. 7 in all-time team three-pointers made at 623, and became the fourth Spurs reserve to have 27-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in a single game on Dec. 27 versus the Jazz.
He is a big reason the Spurs will end their six-season playoff drought soon, and why he deserves to experience the NBA postseason for the first time in his career.
“Getting someone we can rely on, his energy, obviously, is incredible,” Kornet said.