At the age of 23, he averaged 22+5+3 per game, but was demoted to the bench. His data has declined for 4 consecutive years, but he is still regarded as a role model for players!

This season's NBA regular season has finally started in full swing. In a peak showdown, the Spurs and Mavericks, two old brothers from Texas, started a fierce game at home in Dallas. But what was unexpected was that what was thought to be Mars hitting the Earth turned out to be Victor Vunbanyama’s personal stage.

The 21-year-old French superstar scored 40 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks in this game. He completed the upgrade of his personal abilities for the third consecutive year. In the end, he led the team to a victory over the opponent and got the Spurs off to a good start. Not only that, the team's Stephen Castle also scored 22 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, while Dylan Harper had 15 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. The three of them vaguely had the shadow of GDP that year.

In addition, the team's other role players also performed very well. Devin Vassell scored 13 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists, Harrison Barnes scored 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist, etc. These players performed very well, and don't forget that there is also an All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox who is recovering off the court and has not yet played. There is no doubt that this Spurs team is likely to usher in a comprehensive renaissance this season.

What we are going to talk about today is a very important member of the Spurs lineup. He is Keldon Johnson. Although his statistics have declined for four consecutive years and he was assigned as a substitute, he is deeply loved by Spurs fans. Let us take a look at his important contributions over the years!

At the core of difficult times, the fourth grade reaches its peak.

The biggest impression the Spurs have on fans is undoubtedly that the players are very sacrificial. The older generation of GDP combination is one of the representatives. In order to win and win the championship, the Spurs players do not care about more or less data. This is also the secret of their past 20 consecutive playoffs. However, due to conflicts between Kawhi Leonard and the team, he eventually left for Toronto, which completely disrupted the team's original development plan in the post-GDP era, and it has also experienced a huge decline since then. And it is precisely in this difficult period that the Spurs' culture of unity and spirit of sacrifice have given the team tremendous help.

Johnson, who is deeply influenced by the team's culture, has greatly respected Gregg Popovich's suggestions and requirements since entering the NBA in the 19-20 season, and he quickly showed his talent. In the second year of his career, he gradually became a starter, averaging 12.8 points, 6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, giving fans some comfort.

Not only that, in the third year of his career, Johnson continued to improve. As DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge left the team one after another, the Spurs entered a leaderless situation. Popovich also made Johnson the core of the offense with a big wave of his hand, and he lived up to the coach's trust and handed over data of 17 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

And because the team's forward line lacks sufficient offensive firepower, Johnson directly gained weight in the summer of 2022, thus increasing his strength and becoming the team's starting candidate at the 3rd position. Not only that, he also performed at the peak of his career in the 22-23 season, able to output 22 points, 5 rebounds and 2.9 assists. In fact, this also proves that if given enough shot rights, Johnson can absorb a large amount of ball rights, and he has the potential to become a star.

Made way for the young juniors and was demoted from the core to the sixth man.

In the summer of 2023, the Spurs received an extremely valuable No. 1 pick. Just like they selected David Robinson and Tim Duncan that year, they did not hesitate to select Wenbanyama. And because of the arrival of Bunyama, Johnson, as the temporary core, needs to hand over a lot of ball rights. If it were any other player, he might have given up the job, but Johnson silently chose to accept it, and because the team's forward line was strengthened, he once again lost weight in the offseason to regain his flexibility and return to the guard position.

Not only that, he was also put on the bench by the team to serve as the sixth man, but Johnson still had no complaints, averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. However, because the team's lineup is still incomplete, it ranks last in the Western Conference. This is Johnson's fifth season in the NBA. So far, he has not been able to feel the taste of the playoffs.

But even so, Johnson can still endure loneliness. He is willing to accompany these young juniors to grow together, and what is even more remarkable is that the team will introduce veteran Chris Paul in the summer of 2024. Since Johnson was wearing the No. 3 jersey, in order not to embarrass Paul and also for the sake of team unity, Johnson directly gave in and changed No. 0 as his own number to show his respect for the veteran. The constant sacrifices have made many Spurs fans feel very sorry for their child, so they also like him more and more. And because Stephen Castle needs the ball to improve himself, Johnson directly gave up the few ball rights without saying a word to help this little brother grow. But even under such circumstances, he was still able to deliver 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists last season. The Spurs' team spirit was fully reflected in Johnson.

We have worked hard to survive the transition period, and the dawn is right in front of us.

Now, with the continuous growth of Wenbanyama, Castle and others, as well as the acquisition of Harper Jr., the Spurs have the strength to compete in the playoffs this season. Johnson, who is in his seventh year of career, is also very eager to compete in the playoffs with these young brothers. In the past few years, Johnson has been a brick in the Holy City, moving wherever needed.. Maybe it was another player who would have had conflicts with the team and applied to leave the team.

But Johnson not only did not have such bad emotions, but instead trusted the Spurs' senior management more and more. In the eyes of this group of young people, Johnson is the team's leader. Even though he is only 26 years old, he can play a leading role in the locker room. After going through the darkest period of the team, Johnson's mind has been greatly tempered. In the future, he may help the team and bring the sixth championship trophy in team history.