Jalen Johnson's breakout year just keeps getting better. Not only has he led his team to a remarkable late-season turnaround, but he was just rewarded with an honor that fully encapsulates his recent all-around impact.
On Thursday afternoon, the NBA announced its Players of the Month for each conference. Out West, it was awarded to Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers. Out East, it was given to none other than Atlanta's star forward.
After the month he had, Johnson was well-deserving of this honor.
March truly belonged to him. Averaging 22.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 36.1 minutes, his dominance led Atlanta to an outstanding 13-2 record at a crucial time. He's been the engine behind this thrilling resurgence.
This comes just months after Johnson earned his first-career All-Star selection. On the season, he's averaging a career-high 22.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. He's had no issue transitioning into the role of first option after the controversial departure of Trae Young.
Jalen Johnson has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for March.
— Zach Langley (@ZachLangleyNBA) April 2, 2026
If it wasn't Johnson, it at least was going to be another Atlanta Hawk. Many thought Nickeil Alexander-Walker deserved the award after averaging 22.7 points on unreal efficiency over the month, but they couldn't go wrong with selecting the face of the franchise.
If anything, this award could've gone to the entire starting five, similar to what the NBA did for the 60-win Atlanta Hawks team of 2015. In January of that year, DeMarre Carroll, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague all brought it home. This decision was certainly an outlier, but if they were ever going to repeat it, this group would've been the most deserving.
With the squad heating up, the postseason is Atlanta's to dominate.
The Hawks have won three games in a row and are looking to continue building undeniable momentum as the regular season comes to a close. They have one of the league's most difficult remaining schedules, so if they want to maintain their spot as a top-six team in the conference, they'll need to take care of business against these tougher opponents.
Since the All-Star break, Atlanta has an otherworldly record of 18-3, proving that they're one of the most dangerous squads to potentially face in a seven-game series. The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks certainly won't be looking forward to that possibility.
Many more Player of the Month awards will come for Jalen Johnson in his career, but winning is never promised. They've got a realistic shot at a deep run this year, and it's up to him to keep the momentum going as they transition into that part of the season.