Keyontae Johnson’s collapse not related to COVID-19 issue, family says

Keyontae Johnson of the Florida Gators dribbles the ball during a second round Charleston Classic basketball game against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at the TD Arena on November 22, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) (Mitchell Layton, 2019 Mitchell Layton)

Keyontae Johnson’s scary collapse during basketball game last December was not related to COVID-19, his family said in a statement on Wednesday.

The University of Florida star collapsed coming out of a timeout during a Dec. 12 game at Florida State and was rushed to the hospital in Tallahassee. Reports from the Gainesville Sun said that Johnson suffered acute myocarditis.

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His family said that while Johnson’s season is over, his next steps are up to him.

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of support and well wishes for Keyontae and our entire family. We are also incredibly thankful for the medical care provided and the willingness of experts here and across the country to be involved in helping us better understand the events of December 12.

“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.The consultation team included physicians from the Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Gainesville, University of Washington Center for Sports Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Yale University School of Medicine.

“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.Our focus now is on Keyontae’s academics and continued 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. What comes next for Keyontae is for him to share on his own timeline.”


About the Author:

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.