<\/p>\n
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) passes the ball guarded by Kings center Domantas (11) during the preseason NBA game against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2026.<\/p>\n
Andrew J. Whitaker\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
Spurs forward Keldon Johnson was at his high-energy best both during and after Friday night\u2019s 126-97 preseason-ending victory over Sacramento.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes, the 2026 Sixth Man of the Year held court in the locker room, entertaining reporters, team staffers and a few slow-dressing teammates with his chatter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
When he finally left the Frost Bank Center wearing an orange-and-white Texas ball cap, he looked he still had plenty left in his tank to work\u00a0late into the night doing chores\u00a0at his Boerne ranch if needed.<\/p>\n
After losing at least 15 pounds in the offseason, the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Johnson is raring to go and ready to prove the slimmed-down version of himself can be just as robust as the one that produced 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while becoming the only NBA player in 2025-26 to play in all 82 games\u00a0without a start.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I’m better,\u201d the eighth-year pro and longest-tenured current Spur said when asked about his makeover.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll-around game, I’m faster, just as strong. I feel like it’s just staying this weight and staying disciplined is the most important thing. And I feel like I can do that. Obviously, I was a little bit heavier last year, but I like where I’m at. Like I said, I’m moving good, my body feels good. And, overall, I just feel like I’m a better player when I’m lighter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Johnson lost a considerable amount of weight in the summer. He came into the 2022-23 season 21 pounds lighter after hiring a personal chef. This time around, he said he did it by \u201ceating at home as much as possible\u201d and \u201cskipping snacks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing Keldon has proved over time is regardless of his weight, I don’t think anybody would ever have perceived him as lacking strength,\u201d Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The coach expects Johnson, who will make $17.5 million this season in the final year of the four-year, $80 million extension he signed in July 2022, to be \u201cmore explosive vertically\u201d and be in better shape \u201cto play longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever it may be, it’s hard to think there’s not more positives,\u201d Mitch Johnson said. \u201cAnd I think the energy he’s playing at right now is a reflection of that.”<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
San Antonio Spurs player Keldon Johnson holds the microphone out after telling fans to yell \u201cGo Spurs Go\u201d following the Silver & Black Scrimmage at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.<\/p>\n
Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
San Antonio Spurs\u2019 Devin Vassell (24) slaps hands with Keldon Johnson (3) as they prepare to take on the Atlanta Hawks in the preseason opener at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.<\/p>\n
Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) drives to the basket guarded by Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) during an NBA basketball game, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo\/Tyler Tate)<\/p>\n
Tyler Tate\/Associated Press<\/p>\n
Harper’s hot hand: Spurs guard Dylan Harper said he\u2019ll enter the nationally televised opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night \u201cvery confident\u201d in his outside shot after hitting a team-high 57.1% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts in the preseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Spurs host the Thunder in a rematch of the 2026 Western Conference finals, won by the Spurs in seven games, at 8:30 p.m. at the Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n
“I’ve worked at it all summer, so there’s no reason for me to be hesitant,\u201d Harper said of his perimeter shooting. \u201cNo reason to pull back. Biggest thing is just taking the right shots at the right time.”<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old second-year pro drafted No. 2 overall in 2025 led the Spurs in preseason scoring with a 14.8 average after tallying 19 points against the Kings on 7 of 12 from the field (3 of 6 from distance). Last season, he hit 34.3% from downtown on 2.6 attempts on his way to averaging 11.8 points.<\/p>\n
“Through the year last year, (his outside shot) was incrementally improving, and he’s a ridiculously talented young player who has really matured and really started to build a foundation of habits,\u201d\u00a0Mitch Johnson said.<\/p>\n
With the Spurs starting a speedy, downhill three-guard lineup of Harper,\u00a0De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle to go along with Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama, the team needs Harper to shoot well from deep to help spread the floor.<\/p>\n
Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n
“I think shooting from the perimeter was a big thing for me” to work on in the\u00a0offseason, Harper said. “And I think just getting more comfortable with my shot, get more comfortable shooting off the dribble, and just try to be as efficient as I can.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Housekeeping moves: The Spurs took care of some housekeeping duties Saturday, announcing their opening night 17-man roster (with one standard contract spot still open) and exercising their fourth-year team option on\u00a0Castle and their third-year options on Harper and Carter Bryant for the 2027-28 season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) passes the ball guarded by Kings center Domantas (11) during the preseason NBA…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":932936,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":["post-932935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=932935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932935\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/932936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=932935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=932935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=932935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}