Getty Malcolm Brogdon is headed to the Indiana Pacers to team up with Victor Oladipo.
Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson was drafted No. 29 overall by the San Antonio Spurs during Thursday nights NBA Draft.
Johnson was widely projected by some experts to be a top 20 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
During his lone season at Kentucky, Johnson, 19, posted 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds under head coach John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats.
Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson was compared to Milwaukee Bucks’ Malcom Brogdon except with a better jumper by @RP3natural.
Johnson says he sees it because he & Brogdon both play hard defense, are hard nosed and physical.
Johnson, the SEC’s Freshman of the Year helped lead Kentucky Wildcats to the Elite Eight at the 2019 NCAA Tournament after earning All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Freshman team honors.
I caught up with Keldon Johnson on the Scoop B Radio Podcast and discussed a myriad of topics.
Check out a snippet of our conversation below which includes a comparison to the Milwaukee Bucks’ Malcolm Brogdon.
Malcolm Brogdon Comparison
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: I was on the phone with Yoda, Rashad Phillips from Fox Sports 1, and he compared you to Malcolm Brogdon. He said you’re Malcolm Brogdon with a better jumper. Do you see it?
Keldon Johnson: I mean, I guess I could see it, he plays defense, I play defense, he’s a hard-nosed player, very physical, but I mean, if that’s his comparison to me, it’s an honor. I mean, he’s a great NBA player, so i’ll take whatever comparison he gives me.
San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: You worked out with a lot of teams. What were your workouts like?
Keldon Johnson: They were very intense. High-energy workouts. I mean, we have fun and work out, so I was able to be myself.
Theme Song
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: What song has been your theme song, or your go-to song that’s been motivating you throughout this whole process?
Keldon Johnson: I’d probably say Durkio by Stunna 4 Vegas, I’ve been listening to Polo G, Through Da Storm, that’s probably the ones that i’ve been listening to.
Other comparisons, role models and players he reached out to
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: So I made the Malcolm Brogdon comparison, or what Yoda said. During your process, who have people compared you to?
Keldon Johnson: I don’t really think anybody gave me a comparison (inaudible), so not a lot of people just tell me that “you’re this person, you’re that person”, I think i’m my own unique player, I don’t really try to be like anybody else, I just try to perfect my game and my craft.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Growing up, who did you grow up watching or kind of admiring and looking at?
Keldon Johnson: Definitely Kobe, I watched a lot of Chris Paul, just all the great players growing up, I just loved watching basketball. I’d stay up, and seeing players develop and how great the’ve become is just amazing.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Kentucky has built a tradition in the last, what, five to eight years, of guys like Kevin Knox, Karl Anthony Towns, and some other guys. Who has been a person that you’ve reached out to to get some insight from them in your process of getting into the draft and getting selected by a team?
Keldon Johnson: Definitely I’ve talked to Hamidou Diallo, (inaudible), Isaiah Briscoe, I mean, i’ve talked to a lot of guys, I mean me and Kevin are real close, I think we’re all pretty much family, so when we reach out to each other, it’s all good vibes.