College Basketball Star Who Collapsed During Game Keeping Hoop Dream Afloat

Florida Gators star Keyontae Johnson has been forced into the sidelines, helping his team more in a coaching capacity.

The move is understandable considering the 21-year-old is coming off a horrifying and life-threatening incident. However, this will not stop him from playing the game he loves.

"My mindset is I'm going to play again," Johnson said via TMZ.

It was two months ago when Johnson left a lot of spectators in shock in a game against Florida State. He fell face-first on the basketball court.

Johnson believes that he could have died had it not for the timely assistance from a cardiologist who happened to be at the venue at that time.

"She jumped out on the court and saved me. If it isn't for her, I may not have had a second chance in life. You just can't take life for granted," Johnson said to FloridaGators.com.

Thankfully, Johnson was immediaitelt transported to the hospital. He was placed in an induced coma after doctors found some brain activity.

He recalled that when he woke up, he was very terrified.

"I was definitely scared. I had just woken up. I was confused and wasn't sure what was going to happen next. My grandmother was there in the room praying for me. We all prayed together and left it in God's hands," Johnson remembered.

Johnson was diagnosed with COVID-19 last year, but doctors bared that his heart condition was not related to it.

To this day, the true cause of his collapse remains a mystery and all Johnson can do right now is continue undergoing tests to help doctors get to the bottom of it.

Until a proper diagnosis is found, Johnson’s basketball future is put on hold. He is considered one of the top players in the country and could have been playing in the NBA had he not withdrawn from the last NBA Draft.

Hence, all he can do right now is to keep a positive mindset until it is determined that his basketball career is over.

He prefers to be told by doctors that he can no longer play again, meaning hope floats over the horizon.

"I do. Right now, until the doctors say otherwise, I'm going to stick with the positive mindset that I'm playing again," Johnson explained.

Should he be barred from playing ball, Johnson would turn to coaching and pass on what he has learned.

Right now, he is doing that but only temporarily until the real score on his health is known.