Jalen Johnson Shares Reaction To Contract Extension With The Hawks: "Atlanta is where I want to be"

Johnson signed a lucrative contract extension yesterday and will now be one of the Hawks key pieces going forward

Oct 14, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) is introduced before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Jalen Johhnson emerged last season and looked the part of one of the Atlanta Hawks franchise cornerstones. Yesterday, he got paid like it.

According to multiple reports, Johnson and the Hawks agreed to a five-year, $150 Million Dollar Extension this evening and now Johnson is set to be a long-term part of the Hawks's future. After practice this morning, Johnson got the opportunity to talk about the extension:

"Atlanta is where I want to be, there’s no doubt about that. I feel like we are building something 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 here and I want to be a part of it. It meant a lot for them to want to get something done with me as well and I am excited to be here."

“Atlanta is where I want to be, there’s no doubt about that. I feel like we are building something 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 here and I want to be a part of it.”

Jalen Johnson comments on his five-year, $150 million contract extension🔊 pic.twitter.com/UzBpYFJdhi

— FanDuel Sports Network South (@BallySportsSO) October 22, 2024

Johnson also talked about the journey he has been and what getting the extension meant to him:

"I would not have even imagined this. Like, there was a point in time in college where the whole world was against me and these narratives, just me working every day to defeat those narratives and show people who I really am and I have done that up to this point and it has been great to see everything come about."

Hawks Jalen Johnson said he became emotional after telling his mom he signed a $150-million extension pic.twitter.com/L2ZaW6euAT

— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) October 22, 2024

n 56 games played during the 2023-24 campaign, Johnson averaged career highs in points per game (16.0), rebounds per game (8.7), assists per game (3.6), steals per game (1.2), blocks per game (0.8), minutes per game (33.7), three-point percentage (.355) and free throw percentage (.728), while shooting .511 from the field. He was one of only four players in the NBA last season to average at least 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal on .500/.300/.700 shooting splits, joining Nikola Jokic, Bam Adebayo and Joel Embiid.

From 2022-23 to 2023-24, Johnson improved his scoring by +10.4 points per game (5.6 to 16.0) and rebounding by +4.7 boards per game (4.0 to 8.7). Per Elias Sports, he is the first player in the NBA to improve scoring by at least 10.0 points per game and rebounding by at least 4.0 rebounds per game from the previous season since Zach Randolph (2002-03, 2003-04) and is just the second player to do so in Hawks franchise history, joining Cliff Hagan (1956-57, 1957-58) (min. 20 games played).

Johnson scored 10-or-more points in 47 of his 56 games played during the 2023-24 campaign, including at least 20 points in 16 games. He owns 20 career double-doubles, with 19 coming last season.

In Atlanta’s win over Detroit on April 3, 2024, Johnson notched his first career triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists, four steals and one block in 37 minutes of action. He became just the seventh player in NBA history to reach those minimums in a single game, joining Nikola Jokic (2x), Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Draymond Green, Magic Johnson and Fat Lever.

The 6-9 forward recorded eight games of at least 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists last season, the most such games in a single season by a Hawk since Josh Smith in 2012-13 (15). The 22-year-old tallied at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists five times last season and enters the 2024-25 campaign eight such games away from tying Bob Pettit (13) for the most 20p/10r/5a games in franchise history by any Hawk 23-years-or-younger.

In 148 games (58 starts) in his three NBA seasons, Johnson owns career averages of 9.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.6 minutes (.506 FG%, .328 3FG%, .694 FT%).

The reason this is such a steal for the Hawks is that Johnson appears to just be scratching the surface of what he can do.

Johnson played in three of the Hawks four preseason and averaged 16.9 PPG in 23 minutes per game on 69% shooting and 87% shooting from three, as well as 7.3 RPG. Now of course that kind of three point shooting can't be expected this season, but it just goes to show how impressive that Johnson has been this preseason.

Now he was not perfect. He did average four turnovers per game (way too high) and I would like to see his assist numbers go up and see him become more of a second creator next to Trae Young, but that is nitpicking. Johnson looks awesome heading into the season and that should have Hawks fans excited.

Additional Links:

Grading Jalen Johnson's Contract Extension With The Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young Reacts to Jalen Johnson's Contract Extension With the Hawks

Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Johnson Reach Contract Extension