Jalen Johnson is coming off the best season of his career, and his rapid development has created legitimate excitement about how high his ceiling could eventually become. The 24-year-old averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists while earning his first NBA All-Star selection and All-NBA Third Team honors.
Perhaps the most impressive stretch came in December, when Johnson averaged a triple-double for the entire month. Accomplishing that put him in rare company alongside some of the game's most versatile superstars, including Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Luka Doncic, while showcasing just how much Johnson can impact a game beyond scoring.
None of this means Johnson has already surpassed Trae Young. He still has a long way to go before that conversation becomes legitimate, especially considering everything Young accomplished during his Hawks tenure, but Johnson possesses the talent to eventually take Atlanta even further.
Johnson still has plenty to prove before surpassing Young
Young set an extremely high standard during his time in Atlanta. The four-time All-Star led the NBA in assists during the 2024-25 season, earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2021-22 and, most importantly, helped lead the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Johnson has yet to accomplish anything comparable in the postseason. His struggles against the eventual-champion New York Knicks last season showed that dominating during the regular season and carrying an offense in the playoffs are two completely different challenges, although some of those difficulties can also be attributed to how Atlanta's roster was constructed.
That postseason experience should become an important part of Johnson's development. Superstar players are ultimately judged by how they perform when opponents have an entire playoff series to identify weaknesses, make adjustments and force the ball out of their hands, and Johnson will have to prove he can consistently respond.
The difference is that Atlanta should now be better equipped to complement his strengths. The Hawks have continued adding quality depth and defensive versatility around Johnson, giving Quin Snyder more options to construct lineups that allow his All-Star forward to focus on the areas where he is most dangerous.
Johnson's ability to score, rebound and facilitate already makes him an unusually versatile offensive centerpiece. If he continues improving as a shooter, decision-maker and defender while learning how to handle increased attention in the postseason, his game could eventually reach another tier.
Johnson has the tools to reach an even higher level
What makes Johnson's future so intriguing is that he has already become an All-NBA player without appearing to reach his ceiling. His combination of size, athleticism, playmaking and rebounding allows him to influence virtually every aspect of a game, giving Atlanta a foundation that can be built around in several different ways.
Becoming a legitimate MVP candidate would significantly change the conversation surrounding his place in Hawks history. Johnson is not there yet, and one spectacular season should not erase everything Young accomplished, but another leap could establish him among the NBA's premier franchise players.
Young's legacy in Atlanta deserves respect regardless of what Johnson eventually accomplishes. He delivered one of the greatest playoff runs in franchise history, became one of the NBA's premier playmakers and established a connection with the city that should eventually result in his jersey hanging in the rafters.
Johnson now has an opportunity to create his own legacy rather than simply chase Young's. His pathway to surpassing his former teammate will depend heavily on postseason success, individual accolades and whether Atlanta can eventually become a legitimate championship contender with Johnson serving as its centerpiece.
That is where President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh becomes particularly important. Johnson has already demonstrated that he can be the foundation of Atlanta's next era, but finding a legitimate co-star who complements his strengths could ultimately determine how far this version of the Hawks can go.
For now, Young remains the standard Johnson has to chase. But if Johnson continues developing at his current trajectory, enters the MVP conversation and eventually leads Atlanta deeper into the postseason, the Hawks could discover that their next franchise superstar has the potential to reach heights even Young never reached.
Add us as a preferred source on Google