Jalen Johnson picking up where Trae Young left off with telling offseason leadership

Becoming a team's top option requires much more than steady on-court production.

That's expected, too, but the most important part of being relied upon is to fully embrace the newfound leadership role. Jalen Johnson - the summer after being thrown into the spotlight as the Hawks' franchise player - is taking matters into his own hands.

It's no surprise to see him working out alongside LeBron James - as they've done it several times before in years past - but having several young players on his team alongside him is a new revelation.

It's what comes with the territory, and instead of backing down, Johnson isn't shying away. Sound familiar?

Johnson learned under Trae Young, and is now applying his summer philosophy

It was Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor - two of Atlanta's most recent first-round selections - who were with Johnson at the latest set of open runs.

His brother, Kobe Johnson, was also with them as they took on a squad that included LeBron James, Demar DeRozan and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Talk about a surreal moment for these rookies...

Regardless of how some Hawks fans feel about Trae Young and his tenure in Atlanta, one thing they absolutely cannot deny is that he always made an effort to include his teammates in his offseason activity.

It's the most effective way to build a stable culture. Success on the court begins off of it. A team spending an entire summer apart could result in some stagnancy to begin the year. In the modern NBA, that's something teams with real aspirations can't afford.

The summer that saw the Hawks acquire Dyson Daniels via trade, and select Zaccharie Risacher with the first-overall pick, was Young's most active as a leader. He brought both of them to his annual From The Point Weekend for open runs and a live podcast.

Flemings and Ejiofor are getting invaluable offseason experience

Neither have played in an NBA game, and yet, they've already suited up against one of the greatest players to ever live. DeRozan and Jackson Jr. are certainly no scrubs, either.

While it's just a summer workout, and usually wouldn't carry a whole lot of weight, it's notable, and impressive, that they've now got this experience under their belt. Jalen Johnson is becoming a quality leader right before the very eyes of Hawks fans who have believed in him from the start.

The face of the franchise is fully bought in.

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