Jalen Johnson doesn’t need another gear. He already unlocked the one that puts him in the history books. The Hawks could have chased a big-name star like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Davis over the last year. Instead, they kept their young core together to see what happens. Now we know the answer. Johnson put up numbers that no other active player has matched.
An Exclusive Club
Johnson finished his fifth season with a stat line that shocks the league. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists in 72 games. According to Peachtree Hoops, only five players in NBA history have ever hit those marks in a single season. Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, and Nikola Jokic are the only others on that list. Being on an exclusive list with former MVPs means Johnson is doing something right. The team traded Trae Young and let Johnson take the reins. He stepped up without flinching.
The numbers clearly show he’s a top 20 player in the world. But stats don’t always mean a team wins. Johnson is an elite player in transition, but the regular season is just the start. The Hawks made moves for Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins while keeping their rotation. They bet on continuity. That bet paid off in individual growth. Johnson also became an All-Star and an All-NBA player this year. He was just 24 when he did it (24!).
Winning Is The Real Test
Some fans still ask if he can carry a team to the Finals. The Eastern Conference is deep right now. Making the Finals in 2027 looks hard for anyone. But Johnson has the tools to be the centerpiece. He proved he can handle the offense when Trae Young got hurt. He proved he can score, grab boards, and pass at a high level. The question isn’t about his stats anymore. It’s about how he uses them to win games.
Jaylen Brown faced similar questions before he was traded. Brown finished sixth in MVP voting but got moved for two picks and a veteran. Johnson isn’t making the same salary as Brown, so the situations differ. Still, the pressure to win is real. The Hawks want flexibility for the long haul. They believe in the current makeup of the team. Johnson is the proof that belief wasn’t misplaced.
He’s the “big whale” superstar that already exists on the roster. The front office didn’t need to trade the farm for a star. They just needed to let Johnson play. Now the whole league knows what he can do. The next step is turning those numbers into a deep playoff run. The gear is there. The team just needs to click.
