The San Antonio Spurs have executed a remarkable turnaround this season, ending a seven-year playoff drought and re-establishing themselves among the Western Conference’s elite. They were led to their incredible 62-20 record by 2026 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama, but another Spur has been given his due recognition by the voters, as forward Keldon Johnson won Sixth Man of the Year.
Keldon Johnson averaged 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists over the 2025-26 season as the key bench player on the Spurs roster. Given this is the franchise with all-time great Sixth Man Manu Ginobili, they were ideally suited to create a role for Johnson, which featured him perfectly while giving the team the winning edge that led to their 62-20 record.
Johnson released a lengthy letter on The Players’ Tribune last week, where the 26-year-old forward revealed how former Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich asked him to embrace the Sixth Man role coming off a season where he averaged 22.0 points (2022-23). Johnson reflected on how Popovich’s motivation helped him accept that role, which has now paid off with the award announcement.
“I remember a couple years ago, I had a hard conversation with Pop. One morning, we were getting ready to play Dallas, and he pulled me to the side and told me that he thought it would be best for the team if I started coming off the bench. I said, “Yeah, of course. Whatever’s best for the team, I’ll do it.” And I truly meant that, too. But I’m also just human, man. And 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.”
“I knew that I could either be the person who tries to fight the change, who makes it about them and their ego, and tries to do everything their way (which never really works). Or, I could trust the process. And the Spurs never gave me a reason not to trust it. So I bought into my role, and I put my best foot forward each and every night. Whatever I had to do to be the best version of myself, I did it. And I feel like this season has been a testament to that.”
Gregg Popovich is one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, so Keldon Johnson did the right thing and embraced the decision the coach made with regard to his role. Johnson adjusted to being a Sixth Man years ago as the Spurs were still finding a way to return to the Playoffs, but this season is when it all came together, and Johnson’s contributions as the Sixth Man made the team unstoppable.
Johnson’s acceptance of this role is also a key reason why the Spurs didn’t trade him despite calls in the last two seasons to improve the team around Wembanyama. Keldon Johnson is here to stay and might forge a new legacy as a notable Spurs sixth man.
It will all be worth it after a championship win, so Johnson needs to stay locked in on contributing on the court for their Playoff run. He and all other core Spurs players will be expected to carry the load created by Wembanyama’s likely absence for Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The first-round series between the No. 2 and No. 7 seed is currently tied at 1-1, with Wembanyama in concussion protocol. Johnson has averaged just 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds over the series so far, and will hope for a huge improvement to help the Spurs earn a road win in Game 3 on Friday without the star center.
