Atlanta Hawks rookie Jalen Johnson reminds us what he is capable of

Thanks to the Atlanta Hawks coming back to full health at the business end of the season, they gave the College Park Skyhawks a gift, assigning Jalen Johnson to the G League. After getting almost no playing time with the varsity squad, it was a pleasure to see Johnson back on the court.

His return has come too late for the Skyhawks who have battled injuries and call-ups all season. They sit four games outside of the playoffs, behind the Grand Rapids Gold who have won their last two games.

Still, with the Skyhawks still missing Skylar Mays, DaQuan Jeffries, and Justin Tillman, Johnson was a welcome addition. He filled up the box score as he usually does with 28 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. He shot the ball well going 10-of-20 from the floor, and 6-of-8 from the line.

The Atlanta Hawks will benefit from Jalen Johnson down the track.

The best part of Johnson’s game is his diverse skillset. His ability to fit with any lineup on the court is also a big win for the future of the Atlanta Hawks. He has incredible handles and vision for his height in transition which allows him to get the rebound and then push the ball up the floor, putting the opposition on the back foot.

This is something that has made Russell Westbrook so successful over his career. I am not saying that Johnson is going to be as good as Westbrook, I am saying that this is an incredibly useful ability for a player to have.

What he was able to achieve with the Skyhawks in just his first game back with the team shows that Johnson is going to be extremely good. However, unless the Hawks have a major attitude shift on playing their rookies, Johnson is going to have to continue to develop in the G League.

This should mean that when he enters the NBA full time, he will be a very good player who will complement any team that the Hawks are fielding. Games like the one he just played against the Windy City Bulls just give us a taste of what is to come