Florida Gators basketball star Keyontae Johnson remains in critical but stable condition Sunday after collapsing during a game on Saturday, his team said.
Johnson, the Southeastern Conference’s preseason player of the year, was taken off the floor on a stretcher and hospitalized after collapsing during a timeout in the match against rival Florida State.
"We appreciate all the medical personnel who have helped Keyontae," Scott Stricklin, the Florida athletic director, said in a statement Sunday. "Keyontae received terrific care on site by the FSU Staff and at Tallahassee Memorial, which has worked in consultation with UF Health. We're glad his parents can be by his side, and they all feel the support of Gator Nation."
Johnson remained in the hospital on Sunday.
“I know you’re fighting bro,” teammate Tre Mann tweeted after the game ended. “God got you.”
Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior from Norfolk, Virginia, averaged a team-high 14 points last season to go along with 7.1 rebounds. He also led the Gators with 38 steals.
Johnson had just dunked in transition before he crumpled to the floor as the team broke its huddle. Several Gators were in tears and a couple buried their faces in towels as they gathered in prayer.
Like many of his Florida teammates, Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 during the summer. Although the cause of Johnson’s ailment was not immediately known, the coronavirus can lead to myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart muscle. At its most severe, myocarditis can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and has been a documented cause of death for young, otherwise healthy athletes.
“Please keep praying for Keyontae and his family," head coach Mike White said on social media. “We all love him."