Keldon Johnson was the third Kentucky player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft on Thursday night in Brooklyn, N.Y., although it took a lot longer than he had hoped to hear his name called.

The freshman wing was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 29 overall pick. He followed UK teammates PJ Washington (12th to Charlotte) and Tyler Herro (13th to Miami) in the first round, bringing John Calipari's total to 29 during his 10 years in Lexington.

The 6-foot-6 Johnson was named the SEC Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches after averaging 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Wildcats. He scored 20 or more points on seven occasions and was second on the UK roster with 45 made 3-pointers, shooting 38 percent from long range.

The Virginia native was often better against the Cats' top competition, scoring 19 points in an upset of No. 1 Tennessee, 23 against No. 2 Duke, and 21 points against No. 9 North Carolina.

Johnson had a 17-rebound game against Auburn, showing glimpses of his all-around game.