Keldon Johnson is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The Spurs knew this, yet still made him the permanent 6th man for the 2025-26 NBA season, but it all worked in their favour. Johnson was 1 of 18 players in the entire NBA to play all 82 games this season, yet started in 0 of them. This is not a mistake; he might be operating at average numbers, but he is having his best season in his career in terms of efficiency.

This all proves one thing, the 6th man of the year award is no longer about high scoring bench players, it is all about the fit on the team, how they actually operate and fit into the role they have been given, their efficiency compared to the level of volume they are producing at, their adaptability as a tool for the team and most importantly, their impact on winning, which is argurabley the most of winning any award.

What Did Keldon Johnson Do To Contribute To Winning?

If you just go off raw production without context, then Keldon Johnson just looks like any ordinary role player. While 13.2 PPG does not sound like a lot, let’s consider that he is playing only 23.2 Minutes per game, compared to the 30+ Minutes he has been given in the past. Keldon Johnson’s adaptability to his new role is evident, with him also contributing 5.4 Rebounds, shooting 51.9% Field Goal, and an impressive 36.3% from 3, leading to a 61% True Shooting Percentage.

While the volume has decreased from only a few years ago, when he averaged 22 Points for the Spurs in the 2022-23 Season, this year is Johnson’s highest efficiency season, leading to career highs in shooting across the board. He might be doing less, but by doing less, as the quote goes, he is actually doing more good for the Spurs than he has ever done in his whole 7-year career in San Antonio.

Another important detail I thought I would add is that Keldon Johnson is not just scoring; he is dominating. 58 Double-Digit scoring games, the 2nd most in the NBA coming of the bench, and 13 games with 20 or more Points, which is 4th in the entire NBA, granted that the other 3 players (Jaquez Jr., Hardaway Jr., and Mathurin) all average more than 30 Minutes a game.

What Truly Led To Keldon Johnson’s Win?

Efficiency Over Volume

Keldon Johnson has one of the most elite shooting spilts I have ever seen from a bench player, with smart shot selection and top of the NBA level efficiency leading to one of the most well-deserved awards in the last 5 Years. Johnson did not just do this in a few games like most players in his situation; he was the type of player to show up day in and day out, playing all 82 games for the Spurs, a rare occasion in today’s NBA.

Johnson’s Role Acceptance

What most people do not know is that Keldon Johnson used to be a starter. In fact, he averaged 15+ Points for 3 straight seasons for the Spurs, but the true fact I am so shocked about is that the Spurs transitioned him into a full bench role, leaving 0 disruption to the team hierarchy. This is high-level professionalism, and the acceptance from Johnson, rather than just complaining, is what led to him winning the award.

Two-Way Physicality and On-Court Impact

One of the main reasons the Spurs even keep Keldon Johnson around is his pure 2-way physicality. His rebounding impact he has, especially on the offensive glass, is exactly what the Spurs need. Add in his defensive effort and his size on the wing, and it is no wonder that Keldon Johnson has a positive net rating of +3.9. His bench minutes were not neutral; it was all winning time.

What And Why Is Johnson Such A Good 6th Man?

Keldon Johnson has the perfect archetype for being a 6th man, as an efficient and reliable scorer and a physical wing, Keldon Johnson does not even need the ball to dominate and lead the Spurs to victory. He is also a perfect fit next to almost any star he has played with, particularly best with Victor Wembanyama, DeArron Fox, and even the younger rookies such as Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.

The craziest part is that, without Keldon Johnson, the Spurs might not even be the 2nd best team in the NBA. San Antonio has a high-functioning system, with all the main players putting in their part; without them, the system crumbles. Keldon Johnson is one of the centers in that 62-win system, leading the Spurs to their 2nd-best record in the last 15 Years, one of the craziest turnarounds in NBA History.

One thing I love about his game is that he, single-handedly, can close games, but he has been tasked to carry the 2nd unit, and has been doing a great job of doing so. He did not just get moved to 6th man and survive in his role, nor did he once complain at all. Keldon Johnson remained optimistic and began to thrive in his new role, cherishing it, but there are a few negatives to his season.

One of the main reasons why I do not think that Keldon Johnson deserves it is because if you take away the win totals and the contribution he had for the Spurs, then you just have a decently efficient scorer, which is not the traditional high usage, high scoring 6th man of the year we are used to talking about, but maybe that does not matter anymore, maybe we have evlvoed.

The Spurs’ structure and spacing endorse high efficiency, allowing Johnson to get the best looks and the cleanest drives, leading to his high TS%. The Spurs also have so many threats on the offensive end that teams must switch to cover Victor Wembanyama over Keldon Johnson, as Wemby is more of a threat, leaving Johnson open for an easy drive or a corner three.

When you compare Keldon Johnson to other historical 6th men, think of names like Manu Ginobili and Jamal Crawford, guys that, even though they were on the bench, were amongst some of the best in the NBA, while Keldon Johnson is obviously nowhere near that level of production. He has less of a shot creation burden, creating one of the most team success-aligned 6th man seasons we have seen. He was not flashy, but he was valuable, and that’s what matters.

The 6th Man of the Year award is evolving; it is slowly becoming less about scoring explosions from low-minute bench players and more about winning impact and efficiency, valuing less volume but higher shot quality. Keldon Johnson did not dominate the box score; he did not score 30 Points a game, but that is exactly the point. He dominated in his role, and that is exactly why he won.

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