Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has transformed his career from unfulfilled expectations to a burgeoning NBA star, thanks to hard work and a committed support system. He entered Duke University as a more-anticipated five-star recruit of the 2020-21 season. During his freshman year, he turned a lot of heads, averaging 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds. Johnson was the recipient of almost impossible expectations, and he failed to live up to those expectations. Therefore, he got picked much later than projected in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Though it was a shaky beginning, Johnson’s passion and drive have always been evident throughout his career. He played 12 games for the Hawks’ G-League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks. That same average came from rookie years with the Hawks, scoring 2.2 points in 22 games. Unfortunately, his second season provided little in the way of encouraging signs, as he averaged only 5.5 points over 45 games.
This offseason, you put in the work alongside other NBA talent including Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and basketball performance specialist Chris Johnson. That was an inflection point for you. It was this commitment to developing his game that set the table for a breakout renaissance in the coming seasons. In October 2024, Johnson signed a five-year, $150 million contract extension with the Hawks. This deal reinforces the idea that he can be a foundational player for this team going forward.
As Johnson approaches his 24th birthday on December 18, he’s entering a new chapter as he takes on a larger role with the squad. This change is particularly notable as star guard Trae Young has been sidelined with a knee injury since October 29. This past season, Johnson is growing into a big difference maker in just 33 games while hovering around 18.9 points and 10 rebounds per game. He made big-time defensive contributions, averaging 1.6 SPG and 1 BPG.
His remarkable run landed him the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award for games played Nov. 10 th – Nov. 16 th . He just about registered a triple-double himself, pouring in an average of 24 points, 12 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 2.5 steals on a per-game basis, and leading the Hawks to a stellar 4-0 record over that span.
Johnson attributes his about-face to simple, mental discipline. Beyond the informational skills, he cherishes the encouraging relationships with teammates and staff that he developed during the program.
“But I had a great support system. I’m big on family. And I really just leaned on them and my teammates and coaches. I got support from my parents, my mom for real, my brothers, and Quin was a big part of that, too, just reassuring me everything’s going to be OK.” – Jalen Johnson
This supportive environment became even more crucial following the arrival of Quin Snyder as head coach on February 26, 2023. Snyder’s faith in Johnson provided him the confidence to really lean into this role and concentrate on making strides as a player.
“Quin was really that guy that believed in me. I don’t see none of this happening without Quin giving me that freedom to be myself. I still have that confidence from him,” – Jalen Johnson
Johnson’s remarkable growth didn’t happen overnight. During the lost season, he took a step back to think about what it really takes to be successful in the NBA. Equally as important, he understood the ways in which outside forces might make him lose focus on his path.
“So, for me, being 18, 19 in the G League, all your friends see you get drafted first round and they are expecting you to play [in the NBA]. So, I let a lot of outside noises kind of distract me from what’s really important,” – Jalen Johnson
After a year in the G-League, he got what he called a “reality check.”
“I think it was a couple weeks later and a switch just happened — ‘I needed to embrace this. This is my time to get minutes, get more reps underneath me.’ Considering I left school early and all that, it was good for me just embracing that whole process,” – Jalen Johnson
He learned that patience and sustained hard work would and should be rewarded.
“If you don’t rush nothing and you trust your process and truly embrace the grind and not just say words about it, but actually be about your actions, it’s just a matter of time,” – Jalen Johnson
As he developed his game in summer league practices alongside James, that’s where Johnson learned a lot about work ethic and dedication to the game.
“My time in the gym with him, I just enjoyed any knowledge he gave me,” – Jalen Johnson
“He just gave me little pointers. His work ethic, how he prepares, how he shows up before the workout and all that other stuff. I was really taking those small little pointers from him and just trying to implement it in my own routine,” – Jalen Johnson
Ultimately, Johnson’s renewed emphasis on work ethic and toughness finally has started to pay dividends on the floor. To me, his statistics are a product of not just his individual growth, but a growing awareness of what he should and can do.
“One thing I learned about the NBA is not everybody wants to work. You get the money and you get the nice things and all that other stuff, but the work is what really separates the ones that want to be something in this league,” – Jalen Johnson
Grounded in this philosophy, Johnson looks forward to the challenges that lie before him. We wish him all the best as he surfs the ups and downs of an illustrious career.
“I know my game. I know the work I put in. I know it’s going to eventually be up there and people are going to start to take recognition,” – Jalen Johnson
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