GAINESVILLE — Dressed in Florida basketball team sweats and sporting fresh dreadlocks, Keyontae Johnson folded his 6-foot-5, 229-pound frame into a chair behind the O’Connell Center baseline and assumed his new role with the Florida Gators.
Johnson collapsed at Florida State just three week earlier, placing him in intensive care and leading people to fear the worst for the 21-year-old.
The team’s All-SEC power forward recovered from the harrowing experience enough to earn his release from the hospital, but not to play basketball. Johnson spent his first game back with the Gators — an impressive 83-79 home win Saturday over LSU — serving as cheerleader, quasi-coach and, above all, team leader.