Even though it’s felt like a foregone conclusion for a while now, Hawks star forward Jalen Johnson has officially been named an All-Star for the first time.
Six players are first-time NBA All-Stars:
▪️ Deni Avdija (POR)
▪️ Jalen Duren (DET)
▪️ Chet Holmgren (OKC)
▪️ Jalen Johnson (ATL)
▪️ Jamal Murray (DEN)
▪️ Norman Powell (MIA)
This is the 15th straight year with four or more first-time All-Stars. pic.twitter.com/m7DaiGr2Tt
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 1, 2026
Johnson has been a rising star for several seasons, but a couple of things changed this year that pushed him into conversations alongside the league’s elite.
First and foremost, he’s stayed healthy. Johnson has started 46 games this season, already six shy of his career high. The other major shift came when Trae Young went down just five games into the season. It quickly became Johnson’s team, and he’s thrived in the role — so much so that the Hawks ultimately chose to move on from Young and build around the 6-foot-8 do-it-all forward.
Johnson is posting career highs across the board, averaging 23.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists. He’s doing it efficiently too, shooting 50% from the field and a career-best 36.1% from three.
At just 24 years old, his production is placing him alongside several future Hall of Famers. He has the third-most games with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists before the age of 25, trailing only LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He leads the NBA in double-doubles this season and ranks second in triple-doubles behind only Nikola Jokić. He also leads all forwards in both rebounds per game and assists per game.
Johnson earning All-Star recognition was a no-brainer. The bigger question is whether he can carry the Hawks to a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference with a strong second half. If he does, he should be firmly in the All-NBA conversations as well.
Since 2000, only three Hawks players — Trae Young, Al Horford, and Joe Johnson — have earned All-NBA selections, all on the Third Team. Johnson now has a legitimate chance to become the first Hawk to make the Second Team since Dominique Wilkins did it in the 1992–93 season.
—
Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
Share The Love