BREAKING: Florida F Keyontae Johnson enters transfer portal, per On3

Nearly a year and a half after collapsing on the court mid-game, forward Keyontae Johnson is looking to make a return to the hardwood. To do so, Johnson has entered the transfer portal in search of a university that will clear him after serving as a player-coach of sorts for the Florida Gators over the 2021-22 season, as reported by On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Over the season, reports indicated that Johnson was still seeking a path back to basketball and that Florida’s medical team didn’t anticipate clearing him in the near future. That adds a bit of context to Johnson’s return and final moment on the court for the Gators, which came on March 5 in a ceremonial start against Kentucky. Johnson embraced his teammates, literally kissed the court of the O’Connell Center goodbye and walked off the court to a standing ovation from the Florida faithful.

At the time, most expected it to be his final appearance in a college jersey, but now things have changed. There’s no guarantee Johnson is cleared but it wouldn’t be the first time a doctor overruled another in a situation like this. Johnson was the Southeastern Conference’s preseason player of the year in 2020 and averaged 14 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore the season prior. He’s likely to be a hot commodity on the market if he can get the clearance he desires.

It’s a bittersweet moment for Florida fans. Johnson was as likable as they come, but the risk was too high for the Gators to play him again. It’s hard not to root for someone who has faced such adversity, even if it hurts your favorite team in the process.

Again, there’s no guarantee that Johnson even makes it to another school. He has a $5 million insurance policy that’s ready to be cashed in if he doesn’t make the NBA and can fall back on that at any time. Competitors like Johnson aren’t wired to just give up though, so expect Johnson’s name to be a popular one over the offseason.

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