Florida Gators Basketball

The Florida men's basketball team issued a statement Wednesday thanking doctors at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, among others, for helping take care of Keyontae Johnson after he collapsed on the court during a Dec. 12 game.

Here's the full statement, which included thanks to Florida State president John E. Thrasher and Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton:

Johnson was released from the hospital Tuesday morning. He was airlifted to Gainesville, home to the University of Florida, for treatment after two days in Tallahassee following the incident.

The 21-year-old Virginia native collapsed early in the rivalry game and was transported to the hospital, where he was initially listed in "critical but stable condition."

Neither Florida nor the Johnson family has released further details about what caused the medical emergency.

Zach Abolverdi of the Gainesville Sun reported Johnson was diagnosed with acute myocarditis, which is heart inflammation that's often found in people who previously contracted COVID-19. He was diagnosed with the coronavirus over the summer.

The SEC Preseason Player of the Year is likely to miss the rest of the 2020-21 season, per Abolverdi.

Florida's last three games were postponed while it awaited further information on Johnson's status.

The Gators' next contest is scheduled for Dec. 30 on the road against Vanderbilt, which is the team's first conference game of the season.

Florida men's basketball player Keyontae Johnson has reportedly been diagnosed with acute myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, and is expected to be sidelined for at least three months, per Zach Abolverdi of the Gainesville Sun.

Johnson collapsed during the Gators' Dec. 12 matchup versus Florida State and was hospitalized. He reportedly was put into a medically induced coma, though his parents said he began breathing on his own and speaking last week. His parents added Tuesday that he was being released from the hospital.

His family released the following statement:

"We continue to be amazed at the pace of his recovery. Along with so many well wishes and prayers, we've understandably gotten questions about the cause and extent of Keyontae's illness. As much as everyone involved wants firm answers, the process to draw definitive conclusions continues, and we ask for patience as the medical professionals continue their work.

"We are committed to sharing not only updates on Keyontae but also any information we think could help others. When we have that, we will share it. Until then, we continue to be grateful for the care and support Keyontae is receiving."

Johnson also released a public video statement Friday:

"I know y'all have been sending your prayers out the last few weeks, and me and my parents are very grateful for the prayers that have been going out. To all doctors and medical staff at Tallahassee Memorial and UF Shands, I just want to say thank you for all the support y'all gave me. To my Gator Nation and UF athletic family, I just wanted to thank you for all the prayers that y'all gave out to me."

Johnson, a junior, was named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year ahead of the 2020-21 season after averaging 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Gators last season.

The Florida Gators announced Tuesday that Keyontae Johnson will be released from the hospital more than a week after collapsing in the middle of a basketball game:

Although there are few details about Johnson's condition, it continues a positive trend of recovery after an initial scare.

The junior collapsed on the court in the middle of his team's game against Florida State on Dec. 12 and was brought to a hospital where he was later placed in a medically induced coma.

His condition later improved, and he provided his own update in a video Friday:

The statement came after a Florida statement said he was showing "encouraging signs of progress."

The Gators finished their game against Florida State after Johnson was stretchered off, but they haven't played since, postponing four games.

Florida is next scheduled to face Vanderbilt on Dec. 30 for the start of SEC play.

Florida forward Keyontae Johnson posted a video to his Twitter account Friday thanking supporters for their well-wishes after he collapsed on the court in last Saturday's game against Florida State.

"First and foremost, I would like to thank God. I know y'all have been sending out your prayers...and me and my parents are very grateful for the prayers that have been going out," Johnson said. "To all doctors and medical staff at Tallahassee Memorial and UF Shands, I just want to say thank you for all the support y'all gave me—especially the lady that was in the gym at Florida State.

"To my Gator nation and UF athletic family, I just want to thank you for the prayers y'all gave out to me. Go Gators."

Johnson remains hospitalized after collapsing in Saturday's 83-71 loss to the Seminoles. Details surrounding the reason behind Johnson's collapse remain unclear. He was briefly placed in a medically induced coma before recovering. Doctors consider him in stable condition.

Florida postponed four nonconference games in the aftermath of Johnson's collapse and is not due back on the court until Dec. 30 against Vanderbilt. 

Florida men's basketball announced it will postpone three more games this week with the team focusing on the recovery of forward Keyontae Johnson:

The latest update noted Johnson is showing "encouraging signs of progress," but athletic director Scott Stricklin said it has been an "emotionally taxing time" for everyone involved. 

Johnson collapsed during a game last week against Florida State and was placed in a medically induced coma which doctors brought him out of on Monday. His parents announced Tuesday their son was in stable condition and was able to speak with doctors and family, as well as FaceTime with his teammates.

The two teams agreed to finish the game on Saturday with Florida suffering an 83-71 loss, but the program now postponed four games in order to regroup.

Wednesday's game against North Florida was postponed on Tuesday, while Thursday's update will move games against Florida Atlantic, Florida A&M and James Madison.

The team's next scheduled game is on Dec. 30 for the start of conference play against Vanderbilt.

Johnson is the Gators' leading scorer with an average of 16.0 points per game in four appearances, adding 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.

Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson is in stable condition and speaking, according to the latest update from his parents:

Johnson collapsed on the court during Saturday's game against Florida State and was placed in a medically induced coma in the hospital Monday, per Josh Peter and Tom Schad of USA Today. A later update from the team noted he was able to follow simple commands. 

He has progressed Tuesday to the point of breathing on his own and communicating, including on a FaceTime with the rest of his team.

Johnson had been carted off the court in a scary moment during the game against Florida State, which the Gators eventually lost 83-71.

Florida was scheduled to return to action on Wednesday but the game was postponed because of Johnson.

The junior is arguably the team's best player on the court, averaging 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game so far this season. He also led the Gators with 14.0 points per game last year while adding 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

The men's college basketball matchup between Florida and North Florida scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled following the hospitalization of Gators junior Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed during Saturday's game at Florida State, a source told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports.

Jeff Goodman of Stadium also reported that the game was not expected to be played. 

Florida released the following statements on Monday regarding Johnson's status:

Johnson's grandfather, Larry DeJarnett, told Josh Peter and Tom Schad of USA Today that the SEC Preseason Player of the Year had been put in a medically induced coma.

"They're just not sure. He may have had activity in the brain, so they induced the coma," he said. "They put him on medication to keep him sedated."

It is unknown if Johnson had COVID-19 or any complications that stem from the coronavirus. DeJarnett told USA Today he didn't know if Johnson was among the Gators who tested positive for COVID-19 in November, when the team shut down team activities. 

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

Johnson collapsed and was taken off the court in a stretcher during Florida's 83-71 loss to Florida State on Saturday. 

Florida Gators men's basketball player Keyontae Johnson is in a medically induced coma after collapsing during Saturday's game at Florida State, according to Josh Peter and Tom Schad of USA Today.

"They're just not sure," Johnson's grandfather, Larry DeJarnett, told USA Today. "He may have had activity in the brain, so they induced the coma. They put him on medication to keep him sedated."

Florida announced Johnson was transferred from Tallahassee to Gainesville, where he remains in "critical but stable condition, is following simple commands and undergoing further tests."

The Gators later made it known that Johnson's immediate family is able to be with him: 

Johnson, a junior forward and the SEC Preseason Player of the Year, was taken off the court on a stretcher during the first half. The two teams continued the game, with Florida State winning 83-71.

It is unclear if Johnson had COVID-19 in the past or present or if his collapse was caused by complications potentially related to the coronavirus. The Gators had halted team activities in November after a number of positive tests.  

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

Johnson has averaged 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in four contests for Florida this season. He was a 2019-20 All-SEC first-team selection and is on this season's Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List. 

Florida junior forward Keyontae Johnson remains in critical but stable condition after collapsing during Saturday's men's college basketball game against Florida State, the program announced Sunday.

Graham Hall of the Gainesville Sun reported that Johnson seemingly "passed out" on the court, although it was unclear what caused it.

Warchant.com tweeted a photo of medical personnel tending to Johnson before he was stretchered off:

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, it was reported on the ESPNU broadcast that Johnson was taken to a Tallahassee, Florida, hospital after collapsing.

Johnson collapsed just a few minutes into the game when walking on to the court after a timeout. The decision was made to continue the game after Johnson was stretchered off. Florida went on to lose the game 83-71.

Eric Fawcett of Gator Country reported that the game continued after Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton asked Florida head coach Mike White if he wanted to keep playing.

The 21-year-old Johnson is coming off a breakout season, as he averaged 14.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 2019-20 en route to being named a first-team All-SEC selection.

In three games this season entering Saturday's contest against FSU, Johnson was averaging 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 63.9 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc.

Given his production, the 6'5", 229-pound native of Norfolk, Virginia, had all the makings of an SEC Player of the Year candidate ahead of Saturday's game.

The Gators entered the clash with rival Florida State with a perfect 3-0 record on the season, and Johnson's play has been the driving force.

The Florida Gators are not expected to play their first two college basketball games amid concerns about COVID-19, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium.

The team has currently paused its basketball activities due to COVID-19.

Florida was expected to open its season in an event at Mohegan Sun, facing UMass Lowell on Wednesday before a high-profile battle against Virginia on Friday.

The team's next scheduled game is Wednesday, Dec. 2, against Oklahoma.

The 2020-21 college basketball season was delayed across the nation while programs prepared for COVID-19 protocols, although the pandemic has continued to spread across the United States. There have been more than 250,000 deaths nationwide as a result of the coronavirus, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Florida admitted to having some problems with COVID-19 during practices ahead of the season.

"We've had issues, I can say that," head coach Mike White said in October, per Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports. "Heck, we had about 10 days there we've had five guys at practice, I want to say eight to 10 consecutive days. I try to block it from my memory. It was nuts."

The college football season has already been greatly affected by postponements and cancelations due to positive COVID-19 tests. This could have an even bigger impact on a sport with smaller rosters like basketball.

The Ivy League has already decided to cancel winter sports for the year.

Florida has now already lost one of its biggest nonconference matchups against No. 4 Virginia but will hope to get its regular season on track in December.