Victor Wembanyama is the San Antonio Spurs' biggest star. Devin Vassell may have the most offensive versatility. Jeremy Sochan may be their best perimeter defender. Keldon Johnson? Well…he's there. Seemingly in the best possible way. In his fifth year with the  Spurs, J0hnon is the elder statesman of the team's young core. Even though he's just 24 years old. KJ has repeatedly said his role is whatever the team needs it to be this season, which he showed Tuesday in the Spurs' 132-119 loss at the Milwaukee Bucks.

Nicknames piling up

Keldon Johnson again paced the team on Tuesday with his 28 points and 12 rebounds which both led the team in the loss to the Bucks. It marked the sixth team KJ led the Silver and Black in points and the fifth team he's led in rebounding. The team's leading scorer last year, Johnson seems to have taken his coach's message to heart.

“If we're not making shots, we better be doing a lot of good things,” Spurs coach Popovich has said.

Against the Bucks, Johnson picked up some slack with leading scorer Victor Wembanyama out because of a sore right ankle.

“That's how he plays, he's a bulldog. He's a freight train, man. He always plays with a lot of energy, no matter what the score is.” Spurs center Zach Collins said, “He's going to go out there and try to get offensive rebounds, go for steals. He has a great ability to attack the rim and draw fouls. And if you don't foul him, he's probably going to finish it. That's a very good weapon for us.”

After a start in Milwaukee so poor that the Spurs found themselves down 18 just six minutes in, Popovich said the Kentucky alum was instrumental in the squad's improved play the rest of the way.

“Keldon, obviously, got aggressive but everybody got aggressive to start. Other than first quarter, I thought there was a lot of good things to look at,” the Hall of Fame coach stated.

“I know me being aggressive, other guys getting aggressive – and (not just) Devin and Keldon, who always have to score, that opens a lot of things up.” Collins said of Johnson's influence, “We've all got to be aggressive in that way.”

Wembanyama's status for Thursday

San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is hyped up

There's no doubt Wemby's return to the lineup will make life easier for Keldon Johnson and his teammates.
Related San Antonio Spurs NewsArticle continues below
The San Antonio Spurs received the No. 2 and 14 picks in the NBA Draft Lottery.
Spurs’ Mitch Johnson hints at San Antonio’s plans with lottery picks
San Antonio Spurs, Dylan Harper, Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Rumor: The Spurs’ plans for the No. 2 pick in 2025 NBA Draft, revealed

“It's definitely great to be throwing the ball to someone 7'3,” Johnson, the Spurs' third-leading scorer this season at 17 per game, has joked.

The top overall pick in this past June's draft missed just his second NBA game on Tuesday. His comments following a loss Sunday to the New Orleans Pelicans gave no indication that he was dealing with an ankle issue. In fact, he mentioned looking forward to this three-game road trip and the opportunity to match up with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“It's just there. I don't think we're expecting it to be long term or anything,” Popovich said of the Victor Wembanyama injury.
But he also stopped short of saying the French phenom would play in the team's next game. Asked following the loss to the Bucks if there was an update on Wemby's availability for Thursday, Pop kept his answer short.
‘No. Same.”
The Spurs play the Chicago Bulls on Thursday before closing out the road swing on Saturday vs. the Dallas Mavericks.