Jalen Johnson spent a ton of time watching film on the Hawks' series vs. the Knicks after being eliminated last season.
While the Atlanta Hawks did well to make the playoffs last season and even put up a respectable showing against the New York Knicks in the first round, rising star Jalen Johnson has bigger goals in mind.
Johnson revealed this week that he spent up to two months watching film on Atlanta's series against New York after the Hawks were eliminated in an effort to learn and grow from it. He added that he took a lot away from it, good and bad.
"At the end of the day, I want to win championships," he said.
Johnson is clearly holding himself to a high standard, and that's exactly what the Hawks are going to need from him now that he's their centerpiece in the post-Trae Young era.
The forward was fantastic last season, averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from long range. He secured the first All-Star bid of his career and took home All-NBA Third Team honors.
In the playoffs, there were some growing pains, but he certainly made an impact. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game in the first round against the Knicks. His efficiency was one area that left a bit to be desired, however, as he shot just 43.5 percent from the field and 29.0 percent from deep.
It was Johnson's first playoff series as a top option in the NBA, so he had to learn a lot on the fly. As such, it's a great sign that he spent so much time watching film after the series ended. There were a number of valuable lessons to be learned, and hopefully, he absorbed them.
The Hawks were the only team in the playoffs to push the eventual NBA champion Knicks to six games. While New York eventually flipped a switch in the series and dominated the final few matchups, Atlanta once held a 2-1 lead, a reality that should give the team some confidence going into the new season.
There does appear to be some belief in the building, with wing Corey Kispert saying the team feels like it can stand "toe to toe" with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
That's a very good sign. What would go even further would be an additional leap from Johnson, who may need to reach another level in order to be considered a championship-level No. 1 option. One NBA exec told Hawks Roundtable this offseason that Johnson may be a consistent jumper away from being a superstar.
If he can get there, all sorts of doors will open for Atlanta.
