Jalen Johnson Earns First All-Star Nod as Hawks' New Franchise Cornerstone
BOSTON - Jalen Johnson’s breakout season just got the national recognition it deserves. The 24-year-old forward, a Wausau native who honed his game at Sun Prairie and Nicolet High Schools, has been named to his first NBA All-Star Game - a nod that reflects both his individual rise and the Atlanta Hawks’ renewed direction.
Selected by the league’s assistant coaches, Johnson will represent the Eastern Conference as a reserve. But with the league’s new United States vs. the World format in play this year, the 6-foot-8 forward will suit up for one of the U.S. squads when the All-Star Game tips off in Los Angeles on February 15.
This isn’t just a feel-good story - it’s a sign of real evolution. Johnson has gone from promising young talent to centerpiece of a franchise that made a bold move to build around him. Atlanta’s decision to trade four-time All-Star Trae Young to Washington was a statement: Johnson isn’t just part of the future - he is the future.
And so far, he’s delivered.
Through 46 games this season, Johnson is putting up numbers that scream All-Star: 23.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game. He’s flirting with a triple-double average, and doing it while shooting a solid 36% from beyond the arc. That’s not just improvement - that’s a leap.
It’s the kind of leap that gets noticed by the league’s elite.
“I see greatness in him, for sure,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said after a January matchup with the Hawks. “I think he’s one of the best young talents in this league. I think he has a very high ceiling.”
That’s high praise coming from one of the game’s most respected voices - and someone who’s watched Johnson’s journey from up close. Antetokounmpo, who was voted in as a starter but is currently sidelined with a right calf strain, recalled seeing Johnson back in his AAU days, when the two shared a connection through Johnson’s brother, Alex.
“I’ve known him since he was like 15, 16 years old,” Giannis said. “Just seeing him now, the player he is today - it’s fun.
It just makes me feel like I’m old. But I’m not old.
The sky is the limit for him. Just gotta stay humble, stay hungry.”
Johnson joins a talented group of Eastern Conference reserves, including Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat), Pascal Siakam (Pacers), and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks). The East’s starting five features Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and Antetokounmpo - though Giannis’ injury status leaves his game-day availability in question.
For Johnson, this All-Star selection is more than a personal milestone - it’s the latest chapter in a season that’s reshaping the Hawks’ identity. After averaging 18.9 points and 10.0 rebounds last year, Johnson has taken on more responsibility and responded with poise, production, and leadership.
The numbers tell one story. The eye test tells another.
Johnson is controlling games in a way that few players his age can - reading defenses, initiating offense, crashing the boards, and defending multiple positions. He’s become the kind of player who makes everyone around him better.
And now, he gets to showcase that game on the league’s biggest midseason stage.
If this is what Jalen Johnson looks like at 24, the rest of the league should be paying close attention. Because Atlanta’s new era is already here - and it’s built around a rising star who’s only just getting started.