Jalen Johnson: Shades of LeBron James…
When the Atlanta Hawks selected Jalen Johnson with the 20th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, they were drawn to his versatility, athleticism, and open-floor brilliance. What they could not have predicted, not fully, not yet, was the scale of development that would unfold over the next five years. His growth is one of the most dramatic year-to-year ascensions the league has witnessed in the modern era.
Johnson entered the NBA quietly, averaging 2.4 points per game as a rookie. The following year, he climbed to 5.6 points, a 133% increase that hinted at expanding confidence but still didn’t foreshadow star potential. Then came Year 3, the true breakout. Johnson leaped to 16.0 points per game, exploding by 185%, transforming from a rotational athlete into a genuine offensive option.
Year 4 strengthened the trend. He reached 18.9 points, an 18% jump, stabilizing his role as a core contributor. But the story of Jalen Johnson cannot be told without emphasizing the astonishing rise that came next. This season, Johnson is averaging 22.9 points, adding another 21% increase. From Year 1 to Year 5, his scoring has risen an almost surreal 854%, a statistical climb that redefines the boundaries of improvement at the NBA level.
What makes his leap even more compelling is the completeness of his game. Johnson is averaging:
- 22.9 PPG (career high)
- 9.8 RPG (basically a career high)
- 7.3 APG (career high)
- 1.6 SPG (ties career high)
- 53.9% FG (career high)
- 40.3% on 3s (1.5 makes on 3.8 attempts, both career highs)
- 78.3% FT (career high)
With slight growth at the free-throw line, Johnson has a real chance to join the exclusive 50/40/90 club, a mark only nine players in NBA history have reached.
His impact across categories places him in elite company. He ranks:
- 23rd in points per game
- 11th in rebounds per game
- 8th in assists per game
Only Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo join him in the top 25 in all three categories, and Johnson is the youngest of them by a wide margin.
At 6 foot 8, 219 pounds, and only in Year 3 of full-time rotation responsibility, Johnson has developed into the “shades of LeBron James” prototype the Hawks envisioned when they drafted him. He attacks the rim with force, facilitates with patience, rebounds instinctively, and defends across multiple positions. His recent performance, a career-high 41 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, plus a steal and block against the Philadelphia 76ers, put the league on notice.
Still, the story of a rising star is incomplete without acknowledging the concerns that persist.
A Team Fit That Raises Questions
The Hawks are a strong roster with multiple high-level options: Trae Young, Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and a deep bench. But Johnson’s skill set resembles the archetype of a primary initiator, a system-shifting star who thrives when surrounded by shooters and vertical threats.
Teams such as the Pacers, Hornets, or even the Lakers in a post-LeBron era would offer environments where Johnson could fully control tempo, spacing, and creation. Atlanta is competitive at 13–8, currently 5th in the East, but Johnson’s ceiling hints at a role larger than the one he is presently filling.
Durability Concerns
Jalen Johnson’s talent has never been in doubt. His availability, however, has.
Throughout his career, he has battled injuries to the shoulder, ankle, quad, wrist, hamstring, groin, and leg. The encouraging note is that he has played all 19 games this season, but his past remains part of the broader evaluation.
Turnovers: A Byproduct of Ambition
Jalen Johnson’s turnovers have climbed from 2.9 to 3.3 per game, placing him top 15 in the league, even ahead of Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook. The film supports the numbers: Johnson often opts for the highlight read rather than the fundamental one.
This is the natural next step in his evolution. Creativity must be balanced with precision, and the very best point-forwards, LeBron, Luka, Jokic, learned how to slow the game down. Jalen Johnson has the vision; refinement will determine how far he climbs.
Is Jalen Johnson the Most Improved Player This Season?
With his statistical dominance, efficiency, leadership, and historic scoring rise, the argument is undeniable:
Jalen Johnson is not only a Most Improved Player candidate, he may be the true front-runner.
His development is not a spike; it’s a sustained climb. A controlled rise fueled by versatility, intelligence, and relentless improvement.
Atlanta may not be his final basketball home. But for now, he is giving the Hawks something every franchise hopes for: a young star capable of reshaping what is possible.
