Keshad Johnson finding footing with Miami Heat in NBA Summer League after going undrafted

Arizona Basketball alum Keshad Johnson has only played two games for the Miami Heat so far in the NBA's Summer League, but he's quickly earning his keep after going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Johnson is emerging as an undrafted pickup who is paying immediate dividends. Against the Lakers on Wednesday, July 10, Heat summer league head coach Caron Butler opted to bench Jaime Jaquez Jr. and rookies Kel'el Ware and Isaiah Stevens, which allowed Johnson to be one of two players alongside third-year guard Alondes Williams to play for over 30 minutes.

The rookie Johnson took center stage, tying the team lead with 21 points, finishing second with eight rebounds, and posting three steals, assists, and blocks each. He was also the most efficient shooter of the night as well, burying eight of his 14 shots from the field, shooting at a 57.1% clip.

After the game concluded, Johnson joined the Heat broadcast team for an interview. When prompted on his feelings about playing a great first professional game with his family in the stands, his answer about the "Culture" quickly landed him in the good graces of Heat fans. The next day, he was in the headlines for his clickable quote and standout performance in the comeback victory.

"I wasn't drafted, but the Miami Heat chose me; they bet on me, you know. I feel like I'm a 'Heat Culture' guy, and I just wanna display that as I go on this court."

Keshad Johnson to Garry St. Jean

He was a little less productive in the stat sheet on Saturday, July 13, against the Celtics, scoring just 10 points on nearly 27 minutes of playing time. With Jaquez, Ware, and Stevens in the lineup, scoring opportunities were harder to come by for Johnson. However, he stayed efficient and shot 3-of-6 (50%) from the field and notched five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

What made him stand out against the reigning NBA Champions wasn't the volume of his production, but rather the quality of it. Four of his 10 points came on show-stopping dunks reminiscent of the authority he dominated the rim with while at Arizona. Less than three minutes into the game, he caught a lob pass from Stevens and slammed the ball home on a reverse for his first points of the night.

In the third quarter, he made his sole 3-pointer of the day and followed it with two free throws. As the third was winding down, he poked the ball out of Drew Peterson's hands and soared to a dunk so authoritative that even the main NBA Twitter account took notice.

Though his numbers won't always jump off the stat sheet, Johnson is proving his worth at the NBA level quickly. Even dating back to his time at San Diego State, he always played an unselfish brand of basketball that put team success before his own accolades. His meteoric rise over the last two seasons is no accident, and more Summer League playing time could turn him into an extremely serviceable player for the Heat.

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