Former University of Kentucky guard Keldon Johnson marked the fourth and final Wildcat to conduct this year’s signings at Legends Sports Bar & Grill on Tuesday night.
Upon arriving to Legends at 6:15 p.m., Johnson was greeted by hundreds of dedicated Wildcat fans hoping to make memories with one of their favorite players.
These signings have proved to be a family affair for several people across western Kentucky, creating opportunities for families to create lasting traditions. John Hendricks of Owensboro and his 10-year-old son, Jaxx were on site to meet their ninth Wildcat in two years.
“This is something that I always wanted to do,” Hendricks said. “I think this will stand out in his mind, and hopefully he can pass these traditions down.”
Jaxx, a fourth-grade student at Meadow Lands Elementary, brought a basketball that was signed by eight other Wildcats and could not wait to add Johnson’s name to the collection.
Owensboro was just one of many stops for Johnson on his #KJTour before he begins the process of finding an agent and beginning workouts to prepare for the NBA draft.
Johnson was both surprised and excited to see such a large crowd of Kentucky fans come out to support him so far from Lexington.
“It’s exciting, just having everybody come out and support me and cheer me on,” Johnson said. “It’s definitely a great feeling.”
Despite a short-lived career in Lexington, Johnson considered his freshman season to be a memorable one largely because of the fans.
“It was a once in a lifetime experience,” Johnson said. “They made it the best freshman year any freshman could ask for.”
Briana Boyken, of Calhoun, was accompanied by her mother and sister, Stacy and Kathy Emery, and they all waited over three hours for an opportunity to meet Johnson. The three have been attending these signings since 2012.
“I normally try to attend them all,” Boyken said. “I’ve been a UK fan all my life.”
Also in line was Michael Barger, a student at Hardinsburg Elementary, who was accompanied by his mother and sister, Jill and Bri Barger. Michael and his family were among 100 people that waited in line at Legends on Sunday to receive VIP tickets.
“I’ve been a Wildcat fan since I was born,” he said.
Johnson is projected to be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft, but he admitted that the decision to leave was not an easy one.
“We put a lot of hard work into the season,” Johnson said. “I hate to leave Big Blue Nation, but ultimately this was the best decision for me and my family.”
