The Atlanta Hawks have hovered around the middle to upper tier of the East for quite some time now, and guard Trae Young has been arguably the biggest driving force. Young is a three-point sniper extraordinaire and a thinking man's player who has a keen eye for talent around the league.
In 2021 the Hawks selected a 6-foot-8 forward out of Duke by the name of Jalen Johnson, and ever since the team has watched him progress to the point where he is now one of its top players.
Young dished on an outstanding stop by the Hawks against the Spurs that had fans on the edge of their seats. Three young players for the Hawks who deserve more playing time were profiled recently.
One of them is Jalen Johnson, whom Young spoke fondly of in a recent interview.
Young Bets Big on Hawks Youngster
Young spoke at length about Johnson's skills and potential for bringing home the coveted Most Improved Player Award this season. Johnson is averaging over 14 points per game this year and shooting nearly 60 percent from the field.
Johnson's recent injury struggles have kept him on the sidelines lately, but Young has retained his high hopes.
"He was on his way to most improved player and he is probably still on his way to most improved player."@TheTraeYoung on @Jalen_J23⤵️ pic.twitter.com/oyi42icTye
— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) December 6, 2023
Hawks to Square Off With Nets
The Hawks have fallen all the way to 9-10 on the season, 10th in the Eastern Conference.
For Young, Johnson and Coach Quin Snyder and the Hawks to catapult back up into the limelight, it will take a team effort. Perhaps Young's praise of Johnson is foreshadowing for a comeback the team has been waiting on for quite some time.
Johnson might not be a star just yet, but he has the talent to vault the Hawks back into contention soon.
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