Hawks forward Jalen Johnson shines in his surreal NBA All-Star debut, contributing key plays as Team USA Stars capture the championship title.
Jalen Johnson stepped onto the NBA’s brightest midseason stage and looked right at home. The 24-year-old Atlanta Hawks forward made his first appearance in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night at Intuit Dome, contributing efficient minutes and highlight plays as Team USA Stars captured the championship in the league’s revamped mini-tournament format.
Johnson finished with five points and three rebounds on 2-for-4 shooting in the title game, helping USA Stars secure a 47-21 victory over Team Stripes after a narrow 37-35 semifinal win against Team World. Though not the primary scoring option alongside headliners such as Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham, Johnson carved out his impact through transition runs, spacing, and energy.
“It was exciting,” Johnson said afterward. “It was fun to be out there. Very surreal. But more importantly, I had fun. It was a fun experience, and hopefully I can be back in the future.”
The weekend marked the 75th All-Star Game in NBA history and introduced a shortened tournament structure designed to increase competitiveness. Johnson said he embraced the novelty.
“Yeah, I think it’s cool,” he said of the format. “We were in the locker room watching that second game pretty closely, so you could feel the intensity. But I like it. We’ll see what happens in the future. This is my first one, so I couldn’t give you a good answer on that.”
Johnson’s role fit seamlessly within the identity of the USA Stars — a group of younger American All-Stars tasked with taking on a veteran-laden field. He provided off-ball cutting and ran the floor decisively, punctuating one sequence with an emphatic transition dunk that quickly circulated across social media and team channels.
On one play involving Edwards, Johnson revealed it was no accident.
“We was talking about it before the game. We planned it,” Johnson said. “Yeah, we planned it, so we glad we executed it.”
Asked about Edwards’ presence in the locker room, Johnson smiled.
“He’s going to be himself — great personality, great person to be around,” Johnson said. “So yeah, he was the same Jaylen we saw.”
Off the court, Johnson said the entire weekend resonated.
“I think the whole weekend,” he said when asked about his highlight. “I know that’s very broad, but this whole experience — I took in every moment. I was just so grateful to be here and very blessed. I was excited, especially for today. I didn’t know what to expect. I think sometimes you have the most fun when you kind of don’t know what to expect. So it was a great first All-Star Game. I’m glad I was able to represent my family and Atlanta.”
Johnson also addressed the global reach of the sport, noting basketball’s growth across Asia and internationally.
“I think it’s important everywhere — Asia as well,” he said. “Obviously you see the game growing at a high level internationally, so just to continue to see it grow. Playing basketball my whole life and obviously being the best sport in my opinion, it’s great seeing it be a worldwide game. I’m excited to see it keep growing.”
When asked what “chasing greatness” means to him, Johnson offered a personal definition.
“You kind of got to create it on your own,” he said. “You don’t want to listen to outside noise. You’ve got to run your own race. At the end of the day, if you’re happy with what you’re accomplishing every day on a daily basis, I believe that’s greatness. It doesn’t need to be defined by other people.”
Statistically, Johnson’s All-Star debut reflected a complementary contributor rather than a centerpiece. But in limited minutes, he was efficient and mistake-free, flashing the athleticism and versatility that have elevated him into the league’s upper tier this season.
As the regular season resumes, Johnson said his focus remains steady.
“We’ve just got to keep getting better,” he said. “Focus on one day at a time. I believe if we stick with that mindset, we’ll be able to accomplish the things we want to accomplish. We can’t look too far ahead — just keep our head down and keep working.”
For a first-time All-Star who helped lift a trophy on Sunday night, it was a measured response — and a sign that Johnson intends this appearance to be the beginning, not the peak.