Keshad Johnson has more to prove to Heat this offseason after rookie year of development
After going undrafted last year, forward Keshad Johnson did enough last summer to earn a spot on this past season's Miami Heat roster. Now, Johnson is hoping he did enough this past season to return to the Heat's roster next season.
The Heat has a few weeks to make a decision on Johnson's status, as he has a $2 million team option in his contract for this upcoming season. The Heat has until June 29 to decide on that team option, with Johnson becoming an unrestricted free agent if Miami chooses to bypass the option.
'I feel like I've grown mentally,' Johnson said of the steps forward he took as a rookie this past season. 'I've learned a lot about basketball, Xs and Os. Just being in the NBA, at first it started off fast. But it started to slow down as time got going. Just getting comfortable. Skill-wise, I feel like the mental aspect of learning cheat codes and things like that.'
Johnson's rookie season turned into a developmental season after going undrafted out of Arizona last year.
Johnson impressed in the G League with averages of 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game with the Heat's developmental affiliate (the Sioux Falls Skyforce) this past season.
But Johnson's NBA playing time with the Heat was limited, appearing in just 16 NBA games as a rookie this past regular season. He logged double-digit minutes in only three of those 16 NBA regular-season appearances.
'The biggest challenge is just staying ready, always staying ready,' said Johnson, who turns 24 on June 23. 'Human nature tells you to relax and things like that. So trying to stay disciplined, always staying ready for my opportunity, being ready to go from zero to 100. Not playing here and playing 100 there in the G League and everything like that. So that has just been a challenge. I pretty much feel like I've excelled in doing that.'
Johnson (6-foot-7 and 225 pounds) projects to be a physical and athletic three-and-D forward who fits the Heat's switching defense because of his versatility on that end of the court. As part of the Heat's developmental plan for Johnson, he was used as a small-ball center for extended stretches in the G League this past season.
'I fit in with just the heart aspect of Heat culture,' Johnson said when asked how he fits the Heat's defensive scheme. 'Everybody out here is able to make winning plays. I can fit right in making winning plays along with everybody else.'
While the Heat has a decision to make on Johnson's future with the team this month, the expectation is he will be part of the organization's summer league team for the second straight year. Johnson helped the Heat win the Las Vegas Summer League championship last year.
'It's just always good learning how the business works, learning how to keep your mental right, learning how to expect the unexpected and things of that nature,' Johnson said of his rookie season. 'Going back down [to the G League], staying ready, it all builds character. So I feel like my character has grown a lot, starting on a two-way and also getting a contract. I feel like this year has tested my character a lot.'
Johnson started this past season on a two-way contract before being promoted to a standard deal this past December. Johnson will soon find out if the Heat wants to continue its investment in him next season.
'They wouldn't do that if they didn't believe in me,' Johnson said of his mid-season promotion to a standard contract. 'So I just got to prove them right. Prove that I'm worthwhile and I can impact the game and help the team in any way I can.'
SUMMER CAMP
Jr. HEAT Summer Camp begins the week of June 9 at two different locations (S.L.A.M. Miami High School and Cooper City High School) for boys and girls ages 7-17 of all abilities and skill levels.
'Our camps focus on both improving individual basketball skills and off the court character development,' the Heat's description of the camp reads. 'Campers will participate in a variety of competitions, fundamental drills, and games. .... One day out of the week, we get a current Heat player or Heat Legend to visit camp, take pictures and sign autographs with the kids. Lunch is included and the campers will receive giveaways daily.'
Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. will visit the camp at Slam Miami High School and Cooper City High School during the week of June 9.
Registration for Jr. HEAT Summer Camp can be found at JrHeat.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
21 minutes ago
- New York Post
Richard Jefferson wears Doris Burke shirt as announcer is thankful for support amid uncertain ESPN future
Doris Burke is receiving a lot of love this weekend. While at Oklahoma City's Devon Park on Friday for the Women's College World Series between Texas Tech and Texas, Richard Jefferson put out an endorsement for his broadcast partner. He joined the SEC Network pregame show dressed in a 'My Favorite Broadcaster is Doris Burke' shirt while being interviewed by Haylie McCleney, Tori Vidales and Alyssa Lang. Advertisement 6 Richard Jefferson wearing a Doris Burke shirt on the SEC pregame show ahead of the Women's College World Series. @SECNetwork/X Jefferson and Burke head the broadcast team for ESPN and ABC's NBA coverage, along with play-by-play voice Mike Breen. Advertisement Prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday between the Pacers and Thunder, The Athletic reported that Burke's spot for next season is 'not guaranteed.' This year marks Burke's second NBA Finals as the lead analyst for ESPN. Jefferson, whom ESPN 'intends' to keep despite being on an expiring contract, per the report, clearly wanted to show that he has Burke's back. Advertisement 6 Burke watches as Jefferson shows off the shirt. @TomasKassahun/X 6 Jefferson points to Burke. @TomasKassahun/X He was also found in the softball crowd sitting next to Burke during Friday's game, and he again made his shirt known. Jefferson held out shirt and pointed to it for the camera, before motioning in her direction. Burke smiled and laughed at her teammate's gesture. Advertisement 6 Richard Jefferson, Doris Burke, and Mike Breen pose before the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. NBAE via Getty Images The ex-Nets star is not the only one to come to Burke's defense, with Pacers coach Rick Carlisle also speaking out on Burke's behalf prior to Game 1. 'I saw the things that were leaked yesterday about Doris Burke and I just wanted to say a couple of things. She has changed the game for women in broadcasting,' Carlisle said. 'Doris is a great example of courage and putting herself out there. It was just so sad to see the reports leaked, really unnecessarily, before such a celebrated event. Doris is a friend. I've asked her many times, when is she getting into coaching, because she has such great knowledge. There are many women who she's paved the way for.' 6 Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle speaks to the media after the Pacers defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder during game one of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Burke was promoted to the network's top NBA booth after ESPN parted ways with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. It has been an ever-changing panel, as Burke has been paired with three different co-analysts since joining the group. 6 Doris Burke arrives to the arena before the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks on April 9, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement Burke joined ESPN Radio's 'Joe & Q' show earlier this week and had an emotional reaction to Carlisle's defense of her work. 'He reached out to me earlier in the day and I just want you guys to consider – I'm going to try not to get emotional here,' Burke said. 'The man is about to coach Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he has absolutely reached the pinnacle of his sport. 'But he took the time to check in on another human being to make sure I was okay. He has always been an enormous supporter of mine. And I just think it speaks to the human being he is. When he walked in that coaches meeting, I always give him a hug, I held him a little bit longer last night.'
USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Wisconsin basketball center adds to his list of NBA workouts
Former Wisconsin basketball center adds to his list of NBA workouts Former Wisconsin Badgers center Steven Crowl is compiling a long list of NBA workouts. Crowl, whose Badgers tenure concluded with an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 loss to BYU in late March, has reportedly worked out with the Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets over the past few weeks. The 7-foot center's most recent workout came with the Pelicans on Thursday, per The Athletic's Will Guillory. Crowl worked out alongside North Carolina's R.J. Davis, Arkansas' Johnell Davis and Kansas' Hunter Dickinson. Earlier this week, the Hornets worked out former Badger Chucky Hepburn alongside Crowl, per Hornets beat writer Rod Boone. The two spent three seasons in Madison together from 2021-24. Crowl isn't the only former Badger to dip his toes into NBA waters this offseason. Star guard John Blackwell worked out with the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers and Philadelphia 76ers before withdrawing from the 2025 NBA draft in late May. The Minnesota native started 141 of his 153 career appearances in five seasons from 2020-25. In those contests, the veteran averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists off a 52.5% shooting rate from the field, 36.3% mark from 3 and 82% clip from the charity stripe. During Wisconsin's 27-10 output this past season, Crowl started all 37 games and logged per-game averages of 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He did so while shooting 54% from the field, a strong 41% from 3 and 82% from the free-throw line. At his size, Crowl's shooting ability is an unquestionable commodity in the NBA. Given modern spacing and skill at the center position, the former Badger's progression as a shooter, especially from the top of the key, headlines his potential professional portfolio. Nonetheless, Crowl's odds of being picked in the 2025 NBA draft or signing with an NBA franchise are slim. The workouts will expose him to some NBA personnel, but his most likely route revolves around a career oversees. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Boxing returns to Fenway Park after 70 years, with hopes to revitalize the sport in Boston
BOSTON (AP) — For the first time in nearly 70 years, boxing is returning to Boston's famed Fenway Park. The 11-fight card is the culmination of years of effort by twin brothers and longtime public schoolteachers who grew up in Watertown and want to revitalize boxing in the city that was home to some of the greatest athletes in the sport's history. Advertisement It's also symbolic of a shift back to the roots of the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, to when it wasn't just used for Red Sox games but for other sports and political events. 'Most people's experience there is solely related to baseball,' said Richard Johnson, Fenway expert and curator at The Sports Museum in Boston. 'But the fact is that this year, you can see an event that'll be very similar to what your grandparents saw.' Promoters Mark and Matt Nolan want 'Fight Night at Fenway,' scheduled for Saturday, to be both a time capsule and time machine, taking spectators back to boxing's glory days and what the sport can be for the city in the future. The Nolans got their license to organize fights last year with the goal of bringing boxing back to Boston. After Fenway, 'That's mission accomplished,' Matt Nolan said. Advertisement 'It's not just like our dream, it's everybody's dream — every boxer on planet Earth,' he said. 'Just the idea that some kid can fight his way to Fenway Park. It's like hitting the lottery. You can't you can't beat it. There's nothing comparable.' A rich history Boston has played a long and impressive role in American boxing history and the development of the sport itself, said Johnson, author of 'Field of Our Fathers, An Illustrated History of Fenway Park.' The city was home to 'Boston's Strong Boy,' John L. Sullivan, born in 1858 to Irish immigrant parents and widely considered America's first sports superstar. The first heavyweight champion of the world, he was as famous as Muhammad Ali was in his time. Advertisement Sam Langford, a Black Canadian-born boxer, moved to Boston as a teenager but was blocked from competing in the world championships by racist policies and is considered one of the greatest non-champions in boxing. Other boxing stars with Boston connections include Marvin Hagler and Rocky Marciano of nearby Brockton. 'The Boston Bomber' Tony DeMarco, whose statue raises his fists at passersby in Boston's North End, was the last fighter to win in the ring at Fenway in 1956. For a time after it was built, Fenway Park was the only outdoor venue with a significant seating capacity in Boston, making it a destination for all kinds of events, including boxing starting in 1920. After new owners took over in 2002, the park became a venue for concerts and sporting events like hockey, snowboarding, Irish football and curling. Advertisement 'Back in the day, it was sort of the Swiss Army knife of sports facilities in Boston. And it's returned to that — a little bit of everything. So, returning boxing to the park is just a nod to the past,' Johnson said. Other venues can feel 'more corporate and sterile,' but Fenway is living history, said Johnson, who calls it the 'largest open-air museum in New England.' A different pitch Mark Nolan said it's not for lack of trying that no one has hosted a boxing fight at Fenway in almost 70 years. But many promoters couldn't make a pitch that landed with ballpark management. The Nolans, who teach full time and own a boxing gym in Waltham where people can train regardless of their ability to pay, were different. After success hosting events at other venues, Mark Nolan said Fenway Sports Group connected to their 'everyman' appeal and decided to give them a shot. Advertisement The brothers fell in love with boxing while accompanying their father, a boat captain, to the gym as kids. When they expanded from coaching amateur boxers to professionals five years ago, they were dismayed by what they found: shows full of uneven fights set up to make the promoters as much money as possible, with established amateurs fighting people who 'have no right putting gloves on in any capacity whatsoever' in venues like high school gymnasiums. Fighters weren't being paid fairly and contracts weren't transparent. They came up with a simple business plan: pick good venues, pay fighters well and only host matches in Boston proper. They said a lot of promoters sell fighters, but they're focused on selling fights fans want to see. 'They're making sure that every fight is well-matched,' said Thomas 'The Kid' O'Toole, a fighter from rural Galway, Ireland, who has lived in Boston for the past two years, 'Nobody wants to see someone go in and just knock their opponent out right away and beat them up for four, six, eight rounds. They want to see a competitive fight.' Advertisement O'Toole went professional in 2021 and is undefeated with 13 fights. He said his fight against St. Louis-born Vaughn 'Da Animal' Alexander at Fenway will be 'the biggest test of his career.' Massachusetts-born Lexi 'Lil Savage' Bolduc will compete in her fourth professional fight. She faces Sarah Couillard in a rematch after coming out on the losing end of a majority draw at the Royale. 'Fighting at Fenway, I think adds a little bit of pressure because I'm local, I grew up in Mass and idolized a lot of players as I was growing up. ... But at the same time, I'm trying to use it just as a huge opportunity and really soak in the moment,' she said. "Pressure makes diamonds. 'To be able to kind of stand on that same ground of some of the most accomplished athletes, it's really remarkable,' she said.
