Why Keyontae Johnson expects emotional senior day after just one year at Kansas State

Ask any Kansas State basketball player to share his favorite highlight from a season playing alongside Keyontae Johnson and a spirited debate is guaranteed to ensue.

Was it the alley-oop dunk he threw down to clinch a home victory against Kansas? Or was it the nearly identical slam he pulled off against Oklahoma State? What about his game-winning jumper against LSU? Don’t forget about the time he scored 28 points to beat Nevada and Texas.

“There are so many,” senior forward Abayomi Iyiola says after discussing all those options with K-State point guard Markquis Nowell. “I don’t even know which one to choose.”

Johnson has only played 29 games in a K-State uniform, but he has made the most of his short time with the Wildcats. Since transferring in from Florida and moving past a scary medical incident that left many wondering if he would ever play basketball again, he has revived his once promising career in Manhattan.

And he has helped new coach Jerome Tang turn the Wildcats into winners. K-State entered the year coming off three straight losing seasons. Now it is 22-7 and on pace for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. All the while, Johnson has averaged 17.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game to revive his career.

That should make for an interesting scene on Wednesday when he plays his final game inside Bramlage Coliseum. Even though he was only on campus for a short time, he found a way to leave behind a legacy.

“I just feel like it is going to be a night where a lot of people appreciate me coming here and I appreciate them for giving me the opportunity,” Johnson said. “It will be big for me to thank Kansas State for letting me play basketball here and have a second chance.”

K-State fans are sure to give Johnson a loud ovation when he is honored on senior day. What he lacks in longevity he makes up for in production. He has meant so much to this team it’s almost hard to quantify.

He ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring. He ranks fourth in the Big 12 in rebounding. And he might lead the nation in terms of consistency.

One thing you can say about Johnson: You always know what you’re going to get from the 6-foot-6 forward. He has reached double figures in all but one game since joining the Wildcats and he has scored at least 15 points in 21 different games. Even when he’s bad, he’s still good.

Tang couldn’t have landed a more valuable addition to the roster last summer.

“He definitely took this team from being good to promising,” Nowell said. “He is just a dynamic player, a dynamic scorer and a leader. He is someone who just wants to win. You look for that. I’m not sure where we would be (without him), probably not in this position, but I am glad to have him.”

The feeling is mutual. Johnson had other options during the recruiting process as a senior transfer, but he chose the Wildcats because he liked the vision that Nowell and Tang had for the team.

Since then, he has posted good individual numbers, he has stayed healthy and the Wildcats have won more games than just about anyone expected.

“I knew this was the right spot for me,” Johnson said. “They call this a pro league. I was preseason player of the year in the SEC. If I was that back in that conference I thought I should be able to showcase myself in the best conference in college basketball. I was betting on myself and just trusting in Coach Tang.”

Things have worked out so well for him that it may be hard for him to say goodbye.

“I love Kansas State,” Johnson said. “This is like my second home, for sure. I just appreciate everyone around here being willing to let me come here and give me the opportunity.”