The ‘crucial’ secret behind Jalen Johnson’s All-Star caliber season

The Atlanta Hawks have not played their best in the month of December, but one constant for the entire season has been the play of Jalen Johnson. The Hawks’ forward has put the team on his back more times than not, and it’s led him to having an All-Star caliber season, as he’s currently averaging 23.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists.

It should be no surprise what Johnson is doing this season, after showing glimpses last year before suffering a shoulder injury. Now that he’s healthy, Johnson has picked up where he left off, but he’s doing more.

Head coach Quin Snyder spoke about the part in Johnson’s game that has grown this season, which led him to be a potential All-Star.

“When we look at what makes Jalen unique as a player, a lot of it is the open court,” Snyder said. “His ability to rebound, push and pass, and attack the rim. One of the things, in the slower pace and half-court situations, he’s been much more willing to just catch and shoot without any type of hesitation.

“I think that’s crucial, because he’s worked on that, to see that translate in your game, that allows him to create closeouts. And then he’s got more room to drive, and when he does that, he’s got great vision. Obviously, he can stretch out and finish, but I think what makes him unique is not just his ability to find people, but his willingness to do that.”

More than anything, Snyder sees the hard work that Johnson is putting in to become better, and he says he’s working with him on more stuff as the season continues.

“I think the humility that he’s had throughout this process kind of understanding, ‘Hey, I’m not as good at this, but I’m going to work at it and keep getting better,’” Snyder said. “Usually, you see a guy work on something, they get more comfortable with it, start doing it in practice, they do it in the game, and they just get better and better at it. I think that’s what we’re seeing with him.”

The thing now is that Johnson’s play has to lead to wins for the Hawks. It was earlier in the season, but they’ve hit a bump in the road, and the hope is that they can find some momentum sooner than later.

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