Only one thing stands between Keldon Johnson and Sixth Man of the Year

It's hard to not be impressed by the play of San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson this season. He has completely reinvented his game for at least the third time and now seamlessly fits onto a Spurs team with championship aspirations.

It wasn't that long ago that many Spurs fans, myself included, were questioning his fit and whether the team should look to trade him. At that point, it might have been warranted, with Johnson struggling at times with consistency and unable to space the floor.

However, we're seeing Johnson 2.0 now. He has figured out how to tailor-suit his game to the team's needs, which has made him far more impactful. The Spurs needed rebounding, so Johnson dramatically improved as an offensive rebounder.

They needed more shooting, so he rediscovered his 3-point shot entering game number 40 and is now drilling 42% from deep, including 50.3% on corner triples. Add in that he can still get to the rim almost at will and converts on a stellar 69.3% of his shots in the paint, and he has made himself invaluable to a potential contender.

Keldon Johnson has competition for the Sixth Man of the Year award

Even despite a strong season from Johnson thus far, he faces stiff competition for Sixth Man of the Year. Former winner Naz Reid remains a big threat, as does second-year guard Ajay Mitchell, who is having a breakout year for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Still, Johnson could have a couple of key advantages. First off, there have only ever been five repeat Sixth Man of the Year winners in the award's more than 30-plus year history, and San Antonio is this year's surprise team. Hopefully that will draw more attention to Johnson's candidacy.

Not to mention the Spurs are playing on national TV more times than in previous years, giving award voters easier access to games. And while this shouldn't matter, the narrative surrounding Johnson could help to bolster his candidacy.

Everyone likes a feel-good story. And him being a former 29th pick in the draft who has been forced to reinvent his game multiple times until he found the perfect role is a good one. Especially considering that he was a former starter who previously averaged 22 points per game.

Johnson's Sixth Man of the Year resume is surprisingly strong

Embracing a new role and coming off the bench is impressive and says a lot about his selflessness.

Not only that, but Johnson is balling out, even shooting an eye-popping 57.1% from the field, even though nearly one-third of his shots have come from beyond the arc.

That type of efficiency is almost unheard of for a small forward and should look very good in the eyes of voters.

If San Antonio does end up with the second-best record in the West, then it's hard to imagine a Spur doesn't get at least one major award. Rather that be Defensive Player of the Year with Victor Wembanyama, Coach of the Year with Mitch Johnson, or Sixth Man of the Year with Johnson.

Of the three, Wembanyama has the strongest case, though there are the eligibility concerns. Although Johnson will have to beat out Reid and Mitchell, he could very well bring home some NBA hardware if he continues to play at a high level.