Why Keldon Johnson once “sulked” over a big Gregg Popovich decision will urge you to know more

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Why Keldon Johnson once “sulked” over a big Gregg Popovich decision will urge you to know more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Keldon Johnson has long shared a close bond with former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. As the team’s longest-serving player, Johnson has often said Popovich played a major role in shaping his career.

However, that relationship hit a rough patch in December 2023, when Johnson and Popovich had a difficult conversation. Ahead of a game, Popovich informed him that coming off the bench would be better for the team. Johnson later admitted he didn’t handle the decision well and struggled with the adjustment.

“I’m also just human,” Johnson wrote in The Players’ Tribune. “I was like 24 years old. If I said that I fully bought into this role from the jump, I’d be lying. I had averaged 22 points in the NBA. I’d won a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. So I just didn’t understand.

“I couldn’t wrap my head around it. And ultimately, I didn’t take it well. I sulked. I let the outside noise affect my play. I didn’t present the best version of myself as I was coming off the bench for the rest of that season. And I knew that I was much better than that.”

That reflection now stands in contrast to his current playoff run, where Johnson has helped the Spurs eliminate the Portland Trail Blazers and complete a six-game series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Throughout the first 11 games of the 2026 playoffs, he is averaging 7.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 18.5 minutes per game.

Even with fluctuating minutes depending on matchups, Johnson remains a capable scoring spark off the bench. It is proved by his 21-point performance on 8-of-11 shooting in just 22 minutes during the Game 5 against the Wolves.

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