Former Kentucky Wildcat Keldon Johnson named NBA Sixth Man of the Year
The former Wildcat is bringing home some NBA hardware.
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts after scoring a three point basket during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images A former Kentucky Wildcat was awarded with the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year Award. Keldon Johnson received the award after a season in which he averaged 13.
2 points and 5. 4 rebounds per game for the San Antonio Spurs, while shooting just shy of 52 percent from the floor and about 36 percent from beyond the arc. Johnson became the first Spur in franchise history to score at least 1,000 points off the bench in a season.
His 1,081 points off the bench this season were the second-most in the NBA. After becoming a starter early in his career with the Spurs, Johnson has flourished in his role coming off the bench in San Antonio, becoming a key piece for a Spurs team that won 62 games in the regular season and earned the 2-seed in the Western Conference. Johnson beat out Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
for the award, earning 404 total points compared to 331 for Jaquez. Johnson is the second former Wildcat to win the 6th Man award over the last few seasons, with Tyler Herro earning the award in 2022. The moment 🥹 pic.