Atlanta Hawks rookie Jalen Johnson rated as one of the biggest steals
The Atlanta Hawks got incredibly lucky in the 2021 NBA draft. Thanks to their tremendous record last season where they finished as the fifth seed they were allocated the 20th pick. Well, prior to the draft the question was raised that if Jalen Johnson fell to the Hawks, Should they take him with this pick?
Even pre-draft the scribes at Soaring Down South, Josh Buckhalter, in particular, said that if he was available, then the Hawks should take him without a doubt. Well, as history will say, Johnson fell to the Hawks and they showed no hesitation in snapping up the talented 6’9” multi-positional player.
He played really well in the recently concluded summer league, earning himself a place on the All-Summer League 1st team, which is impressive for a player selected so late in the draft. As a result, in the recently released GM survey, Johnson was voted as one of the steals of the draft.
The Atlanta Hawks certainly got a steal in the form of Jalen Johnson
There were only two players selected by the league’s general managers that were bigger steals in the draft than Johnson. One of these was Jalen Suggs who was taken with the fifth pick in the draft, 23 percent of all general managers rated him as the biggest steal.
The other player who was seen as a bigger steal than Johnson was Alperen Sengun who was taken with the 16th pick of the draft by the Houston Rockets. 20 percent of all general managers voted for him.
Johnson received seven percent of all votes which was the same amount as James Bouknight who was taken with the 11th pick by the Charlotte Hornets. It was also the same amount as Trey Murphy III who was taken with the 17th pick of the draft by the New Orleans Pelicans.
Next. What Nate McMillan projects for Jalen Johnson. dark
Because the Hawks were able to take such talented players with such low picks they are able to continue to grow their pool of incredible talent. This group of players has half of the general managers around the league believing that they are the most promising young core in the league