Keldon Johnson admits he had a tough year despite his Sixth Man of the Year campaign originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Antonio Spurs are back in the Playoffs for the first time in a long while. It was one of the most impressive seasons in franchise history, as everyone contributed. The standout is obviously Victor Wembanyama, but other players also had awesome campaigns.
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This includes Keldon Johnson, who is now the freshly minted Sixth Man of the Year. After multiple seasons as a starter, Johnson accepted his new role and made sure to shine in the one head coach Mitch Johnson gave him.
Keldon Johnson has a somber celebration for his 6MOY win
The Spurs have been amazing this season, mostly because of Wembanyama and players like Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox. However, they are not the only standouts because this is a team filled with talented players.
Among them is Johnson, who is the Spurs’ longest-tenured active player. He has been loyal to the organization for a long time, and his commitment has paid off because he has been superb over the years.
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MORE:Â Why the Spurs see Keldon Johnson as the team’s heart and soul
Even if he is playing a smaller role these days, he is still shining. That is why his Sixth Man of the Year victory rings true for many within the Spurs community. Despite this being a massive achievement, it was a bit bittersweet for the Spurs mainstay.
“I was telling my teammates this, and I’ll share a little bit with y’all, but this has been one of the toughest years of my life. My granddad has been fighting cancer, so my parents have been in and out,” Johnson said after learning he won Sixth Man of the Year.
“They haven’t really been here as much, and I’m really tight with my parents. Those are my best friends. So not really having them here and going through the season, it’s been tough.”
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The Spurs community has nothing but love for Johnson, and it seems the feeling is mutual. While he had a tough year in his personal life, Johnson has remained focused on being a positive presence in the locker room, and a fantastic player on the court.