Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson's collapse unrelated to COVID-19

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Florida men's basketball star Keyontae Johnson's collapse during a game less than two months ago wasn't related to a COVID-19 diagnosis, his family said in a statement Wednesday.

Johnson was transported to a hospital Dec. 12 after falling face-first onto the court following a timeout in the first half of a game against Florida State in Tallahassee.

School officials said Johnson was listed in critical but stable condition before being airlifted to a Gainesville, Fla., hospital, where he slowly recovered and started to communicate with family and medical personnel.

Johnson previously tested positive for COVID-19 during the summer. The coronavirus can potentially cause myocarditis, a viral infection of the heart muscle.

"University of Florida Health treating physicians consulted with other local and national experts who reviewed the relevant imaging and testing related to this case," Johnson's family said in a statement. "The unanimous conclusion of all experts is that Keyontae's medical emergency was not related to or a result of a previous or current COVID diagnosis."

Johnson's family noted that the consultation team included physicians from the Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Gainesville, University of Washington Center for Sports Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Yale University School of Medicine.

The University of Florida hasn't disclosed Johnson's diagnosis or what caused him to collapse in December. Since rejoining the Gators later that month, he has been on the team's sideline but hasn't competed.

Johnson won't play again this season, according to his family. Instead, he will focus on his recovery.

"We continue to be committed to sharing any information that could be helpful to others," the family's statement read. "Our hope is that the experts' conclusion that this instance is not COVID-related will bring some peace of mind. Our focus is now on Keyontae's academics and continued recovery.

"His resilience has been inspiring to watch. He will spend the rest of the season focused on being the best coach and teammate he can be. What comes next for Keyontae is for him to share on his own timeline."

Johnson, who was expected to be a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was averaging 19.5 points entering the Gators' matchup against Florida State.