Keldon Johnson has transformed his body

The Spurs swingman looks jacked in new offseason training videos.

Last season was not Keldon Johnson’s best. He was assigned a bench role mid-way through the season where he sometimes seemed uncomfortable. He was benched by San Antonio Spurs head coach, Gregg Popovich, for his defensive woes later in the season. All while drawing criticism from fans and basketball media alike. Through it all, he remained energetic and committed to the franchise.

It appears Johnson has been putting in the work this offseason, looking completely transformed in new training videos courtesy of Dusty Garcia.

Johnson’s physical shape drew criticism last season. Some wondered if his heavier frame and defensive woes were related. He must have taken those comments to heart.

The wing regressed statistically last season after being the team’s leading scorer in the 2022-23 season. Johnson averaged 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He had a 118 defensive rating, one of the worst defensive seasons of his career.

Body transformations are nothing new in the NBA. The “in the best shape of his career” narrative rarely leads to big-time results the next season. Yet, it’s hard to contain excitement with Johnson’s efforts, given how drastically different he looks.

His training looks to emphasize explosive movements, focusing on his athleticism and burst. With more quickness and explosiveness, Johnson should physically be able to play better at the defensive end. His lateral quickness has been an issue in the past, along with some lapses mentally. It seems like he is addressing the physical aspect of his defensive ability. It remains to be seen if he can improve the mental side.

Offense has never been the issue with KJ. In fact, his physicality and finishing ability have long been strengths. Combining his proclivity for drawing contact around the basket with a more explosive base could do wonders for his downhill attacking game. It’s something he went away from too often last season. The added speed could help him get back to attacking the basket at will – something that will be needed in the second unit.

We will have to wait and see how this physical work manifests on the basketball court. If nothing else, it’s an exciting story to pay attention to going into training camp. A revitalized Johnson would be an asset to the Spurs’ bench, and help them compete this season.