Florida Gators Player Keyontae Johnson's On-Court Collapse Was Not Related to COVID-19 (UPDATE)

The family of Keyontae Johnson, a junior from Virginia, said they "continue to be committed to sharing any information that could be helpful to other."

Florida Gators forward Keyontae Johnson
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Florida Gators forward Keyontae Johnson

UPDATED 2/4/21, 1:30 p.m. ET: Keyontae Johnson’s December collapse was not COVID-19 related. In a statement of gratitude and clarification shared by the Florida Gators, Johnson’s family noted, “The University of Florida Health treating physicians consulted with other local and national experts who reviewed the relevant imaging and testing related to this case. The unanimous conclusion of all experts is that Keyontae’s medical emergency was not related to or a result of a previous or current COVID diagnosis. … We continue to be committed to sharing any information that could be helpful to others. Our hope is that the experts’ conclusion that this instance is not COVID-related will bring some peace of mind.”

Johnson and his family are now focused on his schooling and ongoing recovery. “His resilience has been inspiring to watch. He will spend the rest of the season focused on being the best coach and teammate he can be,” the statement reads. “What comes next for Keyontae is for him to share on his own timeline."

UPDATED 12/22/20, 2:06 p.m. ET: Keyontae Johnson has been released from the hospital, his team said in a statement.

According to Gator Sports, Johnson has been as been diagnosed with acute myocarditis, which is essentially heart inflammation that might be related to COVID-19. 

UPDATED 12/15, 4:10 p.m. ET: Keyontae Johnson is no longer in critical condition and is breathing on his own, according to a statement from the Florida Gators. 

The team said they even FaceTimed with their teammate. Read the statement above. 

UPDATED 12/14, 4:30 p.m. ET: On Monday it was reported that Keyontae Johnson had been placed in a medically induced coma, his grandfather Larry DeJarnett told USA Today

DeJarnett said Johnson had been transferred from Tallahassee to Gainesville following his collapse in Saturday's game. Doctors are hopeful they'll be able to bring him out of his coma by Monday afternoon. 

"They’re just not sure," DeJarnett said. "He may have had activity in the brain, so they induced the coma. They put him on medication to keep him sedated." DeJarnett said he was unsure whether his grandson had ever tested positive for COVID-19 after reports over the weekend stated that he had. 

"I know that there was some of the times when some of the team was quarantined, yes. I don’t know if he was one of them or not," DeJarnett added. 

In November, Florida paused team activities due to tests for the virus coming up positive within the program. The team's coach, Mike White, said the Gators had previous issues with COVID.

Due to privacy laws, further details are unclear. 

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Florida Gators basketball star Keyontae Johnson is in critical but stable condition at a Tallahassee hospital after collapsing on the court during a game against Florida State, ESPN reports

The Gators were coming out a timeout early in the game when Johnson collapsed. He was given immediate medical attention before being taken off the court. 

Prior to the incident, Johnson had just completed an alley-oop play from Tyree Appleby to give the Gators an 11-3 lead over the 20th-ranked Seminoles. He was celebrating and walking the sidelines during the timeout before collapsing. Florida players were hugging each other and crying while Johnson was being treated. Gators coach Mike White also consoled his players before the game restarted. 

Like the rest of his teammates, Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 in the summer. Currently, the cause of his condition is unknown. The coronavirus has been known to result in myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart muscle. 

Johnson is a junior from Norfolk, Virginia. He is averaging 19.7 points this season and is considered an NBA prospect. Johnson is also the forerunner to win SEC Player of the Year. Following his incident, the Gators lost by 12 points, giving the Seminoles an 83-71 victory. 

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