Keldon Johnson wasn’t even on the depth chart when Team USA opened practice in Vegas last week.
The San Antonio Spurs’ 6-6 forward was a member of the U.S. Select team that was brought in to scrimmage the national team before they left for the summer Olympics in Japan.
But the 21-year old Johnson, who was temporarily elevated to the senior men’s roster for the exhibition games because the U.S. was missing three players– Devin Booker, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday– who are participating in the NBA championship series, is pushing his way into a key role on this team. The former Kentucky one and done came off the bench to score 15 points as Team USA rallied from a nine-point first half deficit to defeat Spain, 83-76, in their final exhibition game at Mandalay Bay Arena Sunday night and received a healthy ovation from the large crowd.
With the win, Team USA finished 2-2 in four exhibition tune ups.
Johnson became a full- time member of Team USA just two days earlier after spots opened up when guard Bradley Beal tested positive and veteran forward Kevin Love withdrew after struggling to recover from a recurring right calf injury. He has made the most his opportunity.
Johnson, the 2019 SEC Rookie of the Year, scored 10 points in the third quarter and his 7 for 9 shooting and his fresh legs, which allowed him to aggressively run the floor ignited a spark in Team USA’s lethal transition game against the slower, older Spanish team, which featured NBA veterans Ricky Rubio and the Gasol brothers. ”Keldon Johnson just played a solid game,” U.S. national team coach Gregg Popovich said. “He shot it when he was open and when he did go to the bucket he was very physical.”
The Americans are starting to show signs of life from the perimeter with Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls combining for nine three pointers in the victory
“We’re getting better with each passing day,” national team coach Gregg Popovich claimed. Team USA, who leaves for Tokyo Monday, has only had six practices to date after a compacted NBA season. “Less is more,” Popovich said “Reinventing the wheel is the worst thing you could do with this group.”
LaVine, who like Johnson has advantaged from the fact his team did not qualify for the playoffs, also played with great energy and athleticism on his way to 13 points. Lillard led the U.S. with 19 points while Durant added 14.
Team USA was considered the favorite for the gold medal in the summer games but it has been playing short handed and the lack of prep time was obvious in losses to Nigeria and Australia. the Americans have been unable to play the up tempo offense that worked so well for Mike Krzyzewski coached Olympic teams in 2008, 2012 and 2016 and a noticeable lack of chemistry between unfamiliar players in the half court. but they still have some dependable firepower with the 6-10 Durant and Lillard.
Rubio led Spain with 23 points.
Team USA has a week to prepare for its Olympic opener against France next Sunday and there is a chance they could be playing that game with just nine players if the finals extend to July 22. “We’re been preparing for France for two years,” Popovich said. “I think about it every day.”
Earlier in the day, the U.S. women’s national team, which was coming off two straight exhibition losses for the first time in a decade, defeated a weaker Nigerian team, 93-62, in its final exhibition friendly before the games.
“It felt good to come out and play the way we did on both sides of the ball,” US coach Dawn Staley said. “We shared it, got our bigs the ball. We made a concerted effort to do that. I think everyone in the locker room feels good about being able to impact the game in a lot of different ways.
Center A’ja Wilson scored 16 points and Breanna Stewart added 14 for the US. “No one wants to be on a team that loses,” Wilson said. “I was like uh-oh. People talk and jump the gun, say everything and anything. The vets were like it’s part of the game, we’ll get it back.”
