Atlanta Hawks: Pro comparisons for Jalen Johnson

Atlanta Hawks player comparison No. 2) Josh Smith

If Jalen Johnson can have even half the career that Josh Smith did then this pick will have to be considered a success. Smith was the 17th pick in the 2004 NBA draft. He spent nine seasons with the Hawks prior to signing with the Detroit Pistons in 2013.

When he came into the league he took most of his shots from within the arc but developed a 3-point shot over his career. His early offense was mostly based around hustle, considering he only averaged less than 2.0 offensive rebounds per game twice in his career with the Hawks

He was also an incredible defender, earning an All-Defensive team honor in the 2009-10 season. This is one area that Johnson will need to work on if he is going to attain anything near the level of play that Smith did.

If Johnson is able to utilize his tremendous passing skills, he is going to be able to play a decent role with the Hawks. This is how he is going to unlock his potential when the game slows down. He also needs to make sure that he does not take plays off on the defensive end and then he will have a chance to getting good court time in his rookie season.