Jalen Wilson says Atlanta's playoff experience, wing depth and veteran leadership made the Hawks an ideal landing spot after leaving Brooklyn.
Jalen Wilson went through his first media day with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, two months after signing a two-way contract with the team. The 6-foot-6 forward spent his first three NBA seasons with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets declined to extend Wilson a qualifying offer this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported July 20 that Wilson had agreed to a two-way deal with Atlanta, and the Hawks announced the signing two days later.
Wilson Calls Hawks the 'Total Package'
This is the most experienced team Wilson has been around.
"I saw how hard they played in the playoffs, saw the fit that I could have with playing around a bunch of great wings - guys like Jalen who makes people better ... I figured this is a place that I could be better and this is the most experienced team I've been around," Wilson said. "I think this is the total package."
Atlanta went 46-36 last season and took the eventual champion New York Knicks to six games in the first round. Jalen Johnson made his first All-Star team.
Wilson filled Atlanta's third and final two-way spot, alongside RayJ Dennis and Keshon Gilbert. A two-way player can be active for up to 50 regular-season games and also spends time with the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks' G League affiliate. The Hawks already carry 15 players on standard contracts.
Wilson Brings Three Years of NBA Experience
Brooklyn took Wilson 51st overall in 2023 out of Kansas. The Nets signed him to a two-way deal on July 5, 2023, and converted it to a standard multi-year contract on March 1, 2024.
In three seasons with Brooklyn, Wilson appeared in 176 games and made 27 starts. He averaged 7.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 20.2 minutes.
Last season, he played 54 games with two starts and averaged 6.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.9 minutes. He scored in double figures 10 times and reached 1,000 career points on Nov. 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Wilson Learning From Hawks Veterans
Wilson has been picking the brains of Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins about playoff basketball. He also knows Dorian Finney-Smith from Brooklyn.
"Dorian was the vet during my rookie year in Brooklyn," Wilson said. "He's got to play with some really great players. Obviously, Lu and Wiggins, they've got to experience playoff basketball and being a part of that and picking their brain, it was really cool."
Atlanta acquired Finney-Smith from the Charlotte Hornets in September, sending Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard to Charlotte.
Dort and Wiggins arrived from the Oklahoma City Thunder in separate July trades after winning the 2025 championship there.
Wilson was the Summer League MVP in 2024. He averaged 21.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in five games in Las Vegas.
At Kansas, he played 104 games over four seasons and made 89 starts. He helped the Jayhawks win the 2022 national championship, and he was a consensus first-team All-American the following season.
Wilson Wants to Embrace Atlanta
Atlanta is a city Wilson wants to dive into. His early community experience already made an impression on him.
"It's been dope. I've never been a part of making a million meals in one day ... It was really eye-opening to see different situations and to have a hand [in] it was amazing," Wilson explained. "I think Atlanta's an amazing city and diving into that is something that I'm excited for."
Wilson, 25, is from Denton, Texas, and played at Guyer High School. The Hawks open the preseason next Monday.
