Here’s why Hawks All-Star Jalen Johnson can be even better this season

Let’s go through a list of reasons why, after making the All-Star Game and the All-NBA team for the first time in his career, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson could — maybe should? — be even better than he was last season.

He is healthy

He dealt with injuries throughout the 2023-24 season, playing 56 games. In 2024-25, he played only 36 games and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.

Last year, he played a career-high 72 games and went through this past offseason focused on improving his game, not regaining his health. That work will begin to reveal itself Wednesday when the Hawks open the season at Orlando.

“It’s been my first full healthy offseason in a long time,” Johnson said Tuesday. “So I think that’s exciting in itself. I was able to accomplish a lot this summer, and I’m excited to go out there and play (Wednesday).”

He knows he hasn’t arrived

By almost any measure, Johnson’s 2025-26 season was spectacular. Thrust into the role of the Hawks’ focal point after the January trade that sent franchise face Trae Young away, Johnson flourished.

He became just the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists per game. The first four are in the Hall of Fame or on their way there — Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook.

But he recognizes he has to keep getting better. Asked what it was that he accomplished this summer, Johnson answered: “Just within my game, just stuff I was able to work on, stuff I know I needed to get better at.”

Not a specific answer, but a telling one.

He now has experience in his role

Johnson isn’t the type to call the Hawks “my team,” but it essentially became his after the Young trade. And now he’s had part of a season and an offseason to grow into that responsibility.

Veteran guard CJ McCollum said that Johnson’s maturation figures to include improving skills such as understanding where on the floor he can be most efficient and how to take advantage of matchups, as well as refining his footwork, mechanics, shooting different types of 3-pointers and getting to the free-throw line more frequently.

“I think there’s ways to win within the margins where he could be the same player but he should beat the game a little bit differently,” McCollum said. “His statistics should improve, his impact on the game offensively and defensively should improve because of his knowledge, too.”

It’s a mouthful, but he’s not wrong, is he?

The Lu Dort effect

The Hawks didn’t trade for the Oklahoma City Thunder wing just to make Johnson’s practices tougher, but it’s a useful ancillary benefit. One of the NBA’s best defenders, Dort has sharpened Johnson in preseason practices. Dort is 6-foot-4 to Johnson’s 6-foot-8 but has an NFL physique.

Going against Dort “definitely helps me,” Johnson said. “Helps me understand how to use my physicality, how to play against his physicality. So it just teaches me different things.”

That part, Johnson growing into a more physical style of play, would be especially useful to his game.

He has a better team around him

The Hawks got deeper in the offseason, trading for Dort and Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder and drafting guard Kingston Flemings, while re-signing center Jock Landale. They figure to be coach Quin Snyder’s most-used reserves along with starters McCollum, Johnson and guards Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and center Onyeka Okongwu.

The Hawks should improve defensively, which will create more transition opportunities that Johnson feasts on.

His mind seems to be in the right place

At the Tuesday post-practice media session, he was asked often about his own play. But Johnson kept returning the focus to his team.

He said he was eager to show his offseason gains, “and then on top of what we can do, because I’m excited to play with these guys and go out there and start proving people wrong,” he said of a team not widely expected to improve on its 46-36 record.

The next question was about external expectations for Johnson to attain All-Star and All-NBA status again.

“People are going to have their expectations of me, and I’m going to have expectations of myself and my team,” he said. “The main focus is just winning. All of that takes care of itself when you just win. So that’s the No. 1 priority, No. 1 focus. … I know I’m going to do as much as I can to help us win. So wherever that leads, I’ll be happy.”

In summary