Nets’ young wing making positive ‘impression’ during Summer League

LAS VEGAS — Keon Johnson came to Las Vegas as an unrestricted free agent and is using Summer League as a job interview.

He’s done nothing but make a good impression, on both ends of the floor.

“I feel like I’ve made a decent impression,” said Johnson, who was on a two-way contract with Brooklyn last season. “It’s a lot of room to grow. But I’ve seen on the film where [there have] been multiple times where I can show my stamp on the game more, and I feel like each day I’ve kind of progressed and got better at that.”

Johnson will enter Thursday’s game averaging 17.7 points through his first three contests with the Nets.

Though Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks and new head coach Jordi Fernandez have not yet commented publicly on Johnson’s progress, assistant coach Steve Hetzel — tasked with being the head coach of the Summer League team — gushed over the young wing.

Nets’ Jalen Wilson making mark at NBA Summer League

“I’m very pleased,” Hetzel said. “I love Keon. I’ve known him for a while now. It’s been awesome to watch his growth as a person and a player and I just love the fact that he’s getting to showcase all the things that he’s worked on and all the time that he spent in the gym to get to this position.”

Hetzel was an assistant in Portland when Johnson was a rookie.

He’s praised the 22-year-old’s growth and maturation since then, and as more than just a scorer.

So far in Las Vegas, Johnson has averaged 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists and often guarded the most dangerous opposing perimeter player.

He stayed in front of Knicks rookie point guard Tyler Kolek in the second quarter of Tuesday’s come-from-behind victory, and forced several turnovers.

After notching 13 steals in his first 11 career Summer League games, Johnson already has six in just three games this year.

Nets exhibit Summer League fight in comeback win over Knicks

And after coming into this Summer League with only four blocks, he’s already rejected three.

“I think Keon could be a nightmare defensively,” Hetzel said. “We challenged him to be the absolute best defender out here in Summer League and he’s taking the challenge. He is an incredible athlete, but he couldn’t really sit down and guard.”

That athleticism was Johnson’s ticket to the league.

His staggering 48-inch vertical leap is still an all-time record at the NBA Draft Combine.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR STARTING LINEUP NEWSLETTER

But Hetzel has pushed Johnson to use that elite athleticism to greater effect, and the wing said that confidence has helped his own self-belief on that end of the floor.

“Oh yeah, it certainly [made] me more comfortable on the court, just learning how I can leave my imprint on the game,” Johnson said.

“I feel like, man, just every time I step on the court, I’m trying to show that I am that dog that coach has kind of put that label on me and kind of put other guys around me to do the same thing with me. But yeah, I feel like whenever I come in and show that dog like you said, it kind of takes up our level of play.”

Johnson is eligible for another two-way contract from Brooklyn.

For his part, he says he hasn’t gotten any feedback directly from Marks yet, but feels like the strides he’s made in Las Vegas can be carried over to the NBA.

“I mean, I feel like everything that I’m doing out there is completely translated to what I would be doing on the main court, as far as playing defense, spacing the court and making open shots,” Johnson said. “And then whenever I do have the ball in my hands, just making simple reads. I feel like every day in Summer League I’ve kind of been showing that, and hopefully after Summer League, I’ll be able to do the same thing.”

Nets leading scorer Cam Thomas switched agents and is now being represented by Alex Saratsis of Octagon, The Post has learned.

Thomas is extension eligible, or Brooklyn can wait, give him a qualifying offer next year and make him a restricted free agent in 2025.

For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/