Why did Keyontae Johnson collapse? A look into his rare heart condition that kept him away for two years & still got cleared for the 2023 NBA Draft

Keyontae Johnson was one of the biggest names to get selected in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected him with the 50th pick last night and really added to the story of his triumph.

Johnson collapsed in the middle of a game for the Florida Gators against the Florida State Seminoles on December 12, 2020. He fell to the floor while returning to the court after a timeout. he was stretchered out and sent to the hospital. It was determined that he was diagnosed with "athlete's heart," which is an increase in cardiac mass because of systemic training.

However, Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti did his due diligence on Johnson and came away that he will be able to play. He said:

"In this particular case, the league is really the body that approves that. We were obviously very comfortable with all the information and the last week, you know, really, are the people that are saying he’s able to be drafted. But we didn’t really have any concerns with that. We have seen all the information, the league’s seen all the information. So you know, you’re careful with every player but we feel really good about it," Presti told USA Today.

Keyontae Johnson missed two years before finding his way back to the court for the Kansas State Wildcats. He hasn't shown any issues since returning.

What has Keyontae Johnson done since recovering from his heart issue

Keyontae Johnson had an outstanding 2022-23 season with the Kansas State Wildcats. He appeared in and started in 36 games. He proved he could still dominate. He finished with 17.4 points, 2.1 assists, 6.8 rebounds, one steal, and 0.2 blocks over 34.1 minutes per game.

Johnson has shown the ability to shoot the ball extremely well as he was able to shoot 51.6% from the floor, 40.5% from beyond the arc, and 71.5% from the free-throw line last year. He proved that he still possesses his talent, despite the scary incident 2.5 years ago.

He has great size as he is currently 6-9, 229 pounds. This means he can play with the big men and defend multiple positions in the frontcourt. Even at 23 years old, he can really be a factor in the NBA with a young and talented Oklahoma City Thunder roster.

Will Keyontae Johnson figure out how to do well in the NBA?

Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams are both expected to be starting next season at the forward positions for OKC next season. However, Keyontae Johnson should be in the rotation off the bench as he can provide a bit more than Kenrich Williams and Ousmane Dieng off the bench.

Having a younger team that is trying to figure out how to gel together and compete in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey have been doing extremely well in their young NBA careers and finding a strong frontcourt will only make this Thunder team better.

Johnson should be a solid player in the NBA and can elevate to a starter at some point. Will he figure out how to climb the depth chart for the Thunder?