Atlanta’s 2025-26 season was filled with ups and downs. The rollercoaster of emotions brought uncertainty, but one thing never changed: Jalen Johnson’s rise to NBA supremacy.
Not only did he receive his first NBA All-Star selection, but he also ended his first year as a franchise centerpiece by making All-NBA Third team. He’s due for another great year next season, and if things go as expected, he could follow up a stellar fifth NBA season by making All-NBA First team in year six.
Johnson's positional rivals aren't on a similar trajectory
Of course, it’s way easier said than done, especially with a litany of rivals in the Eastern Conference. All of the top-five seeds featured a star big man or forward, including Evan Mobley, Jayson Tatum, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Duren and Karl Anthony-Towns.
It’s highly unlikely that any of these players will fall off in the future, giving Johnson a gauntlet of potential future Hall of Famers to surpass. He joined all four in the NBA All-Star Game after averaging 22.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
This is Johnson’s new standard, and his improvements have made him arguably the most well-rounded player of the bunch. Now that his supporting cast is catching up to the opposition, Johnson will have a fighting chance for years to come.
If he’s able to apply his lessons from his first playoff series as a first option, he could make an even bigger leap in the 2026-27 season. Averaging a triple-double is a true possibility, and it’s the only way he’ll earn an All-NBA First team selection in today’s offense-heavy league.
Making All-NBA First Team is an incredibly tough task
To put it in perspective, All-NBA First Team this year included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham. All of these players were MVP candidates this season, with SGA claiming the award for the second consecutive season.
While producing superstar numbers, they also spearheaded four powerhouses this season. Johnson already has the numbers, so it falls on the Hawks to share their leaders' intensity. He’ll likely replace Jokic, with Wembanyama becoming the center of All-NBA First Team.
Replacing a three-time MVP sounds impossible, but Johnson possesses MVP potential as well. Even Nikola himself praised Atlanta’s rising star after facing the Hawks earlier this season.
"I watched Atlanta a few times recently, because of that kid Jalen Johnson,” Jokic said. “He's an interesting player. He's like a little fawn. He's good."
In a game where Jokic finished with 40 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, Johnson put on a show of his own. Although the Hawks lost 134-133, he finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists. It was one of his many great performances this season, and at 24-years old, he’s nowhere near his prime.
With an improved supporting cast and another talented player coming in June via the 2026 NBA Draft, Johnson has the tools to rise even higher. Many expect the Hawks to become a top-five seed next season, and with even better numbers, it’d be hard to deny him a spot on All-NBA First Team
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