Jalen Johnson is quickly becoming the engine of the Trae-Young-less Atlanta Hawks and his head coach thinks he’s just getting started.
Johnson recorded his second triple-double in as many nights on Saturday, recording 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the Hawks’ 131-116 win over the Washington Wizards. It was his fourth triple-double of the season, all at a time when Atlanta is without four-time All-Star Trae Young, who has been sidelined since late October with a sprained right MCL.
The 23-year-old is averaging 23.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists, all big jumps from his breakout 2024-2025 season.
“It reflects on a guy who has put in a lot of work and who we need to play a lot for us,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “The triple-doubles are great, but he wants to win and there is more. He can be even more efficient because we need him to be.”
Johnson’s back-to-back performances were historic.
On Friday, in a one-point loss to Denver, he recorded the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history, reaching the line in just 16:44, behind only Nikola Jokić’s 14:33.
Saturday’s effort made him just the second Hawk ever to post triple-doubles on both sides of a back-to-back, joining Bob Sura in April 2004.
“Yesterday was cool, but tonight was more important because we got the win,” Johnson said. “It was a great group effort. My teammates make the game easier for me.”
With Young out and the Hawks reshaping their identity, Johnson’s emergence has been essential — and if Snyder is right, what’s scary for the rest of the league is that he still has room to grow.
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