TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — University of Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson is in a medically induced coma after collapsing onto the court during a game against Florida State over the weekend, USA Today reports.
The outlet spoke with his grandfather, Larry DeJarnett, on Monday.
Johnson was taken off the floor Saturday on a stretcher and sent to Tallahassee Memorial for evaluation. He was said to be in critical but stable condition Monday morning.
DeJarnett told USA Today that Johnson was transported on Monday to a hospital in Gainesville, with doctors there hoping to bring him out of the coma.
"They’re just not sure," DeJarnett told the outlet. "He may have had activity in the brain, so they induced the coma. They put him on medication to keep him sedated."
Florida sent one of its jets to Norfolk, Virginia, to get Johnson’s parents Saturday and take them to Tallahassee to be with their son. Gators coach Mike White, who let his players decide whether to continue playing, also stayed overnight there along with head athletic trainer Dave Werner.
Johnson’s teammates and coaches Florida were visibly distraught before the game resumed. The Seminoles outscored Florida 80-60 after Johnson’s collapse and won 83-71, their seventh straight in the series.
Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior, averaged a team-high 14 points last season to go along with 7.1 rebounds. He also led the Gators with 38 steals.
Like many of his Florida teammates, Johnson tested positive for COVID-19 over the summer. Although the cause of Johnson’s collapse 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.
The Southeastern Conference mandates strict protocols, including rigorous heart testing, before players can be cleared to return to play following positive COVID-19 tests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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