Atlanta Hawks star Jalen Johnson has turned the 2025-26 season into a personal proving ground. He earned his first career All-Star Game selection, replaced Trae Young as the franchise player, and should receive an All-NBA nod once the teams are revealed.
For as impressive as Johnson's leap to stardom has been, there's one question that will be answered during the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs: Can he be a true No. 1 option on offense?
Johnson finished the 2025-26 regular season with averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made on .489/.352/.788 shooting. In the process, he became the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.
The other four are either current or future Hall of Famers. as well as MVP award-winners: Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokic, Oscar Robertson, and Russell Westbrook.
That alone offers ample reason to believe Johnson is a genuine franchise player. The question is not a matter of whether the Hawks can build around him, however, but instead if he can be a go-to scoring option against top-tier teams in high-pressure situations.
That thin line has been toed throughout the 2025-26 regular season, but when the Hawks face the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, Johnson will reveal if he's ready to be a No. 1.
Is Jalen Johnson a true No. 1 scoring option? Knicks will reveal truth
Johnson's average of 22.5 points per game on .489/.352/.788 shooting certainly suggests he's on his way to becoming a true No. 1. The hurdle in front of him, however, is a postseason encounter with one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.
The Knicks finished the 2025-26 regular season ranked No. 7 in defensive rating, with their wing and frontcourt players all playing a definitive role in that success.
Johnson will likely spend considerable time matched up against virtually all of those players. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart will all match up against him along the perimeter and perhaps even in the post, while Mitchell Robinson will undoubtedly be waiting for him at the rim.
If Johnson is able to overcome the presence of four high-level and arguably elite defenders and lead the Hawks to success, then all concerns about his legitimacy will be eradicated.
The concerning truth, however, is that Johnson has struggled mightily in isolation situations in 2025-26. During the regular season, he averaged just 0.77 points per isolation possession on 37.0 percent shooting and shot a somewhat underwhelming 45.7 percent on drives.
Johnson will be thrown to the proverbial wolves against the Knicks, but if he can prove capable of overcoming the concerns and scoring at a go-to level, the Hawks' future will come into focus.