Keldon Johnson says Spurs are ready for the sudden expectations

The Spurs were not supposed to be here. Everyone knows that. San Antonio finished 13th in the Western Conference a season ago and entered this year talking about growth, not standings.

Now they are the second seed, sitting just behind the defending champion Thunder, and the league is adjusting on the fly.

Yes, Victor Wembanyama is the headline. He changes everything. But this climb has not been a solo act. It has required buy-in, depth, and a willingness to accept new roles.

That is where Keldon Johnson comes in.

Johnson has reinvented himself as the Spurs’ sixth man and, in the process, steadied a roster that suddenly finds itself in real games with real pressure. He is the longest-tenured player on the team and one of the emotional anchors for a group learning how to win together.

Led by coach Mitch Johnson, San Antonio has leaned into the idea that expectations do not have to be a burden.

“Nobody will tell you that the expectations were to be the No. 2 seed,” Johnson said, via Don Harris of News4SA. “But we’re thriving and surviving. That is the name of the game in the NBA. Stay healthy, stay together, and continue to play for each other.”

That mindset is about to be tested. The Spurs are no longer sneaking up on anyone. They are being circled.

For a franchise built on patience and culture, that is a good issue to have.