Hawks star Jalen Johnson delivers historic numbers, fueling a team sweep. He eyes continued dominance, not resting on his first Player of the Week nod.
Jalen Johnson didn’t spend much time celebrating his latest breakthrough, but he understood what it meant.
The Hawks forward was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after leading Atlanta to a 4–0 road sweep and averaging 24.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 60.3% from the field. It marked the first weekly honor of his career and one of the most dominant four-game stretches in franchise history.
Before turning the page, Johnson reflected on the moment and what it represented in his development.
Speaking about the recognition, he pointed to the work that made it possible.
“Of course I do,” Johnson said. “Hard work takes you places you can’t imagine and gives you opportunities you never could have seen a few years ago.”
He quickly redirected the conversation toward what still lies ahead. “I’m very grateful and appreciative of the award,” he said. “But there’s a lot more work to do.”
Johnson’s week was historic. He totaled 96 points, 48 rebounds, 37 assists and 10 steals across four games, becoming the first Hawks player ever to reach at least 95 points, 45 rebounds, 35 assists and 10 steals in that span. Only Nikola Jokic had matched that combination this season.
He was the only NBA player last week to average at least 24 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists and the only Eastern Conference player to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on .600/.500/.750 shooting splits. He also led the conference in field-goal percentage among high-volume scorers and posted its highest net rating.
His performance in Utah on Nov. 13 was one for the record books — 31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists and seven steals, becoming the first NBA player since steals were tracked to reach those marks in a single game. It was part of a larger surge that included three straight games with at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
Most importantly for Johnson, the wins kept coming. The Hawks swept their West Coast road trip for the first time since 1970–71 and closed the week with a 124–122 comeback win in Phoenix after trailing by 22 in the final 10 minutes. Johnson finished that game with 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Reflecting on the team’s surge, he emphasized staying locked in on the bigger picture.
“We’re coming off a 4–0 road trip, and I just want to keep building on that,” Johnson said. “That’s the main thing.”
Earlier in the week he shot 9-for-10 with 24 points against Sacramento and opened the trip with 16 points and 10 rebounds in a win over the Clippers. Atlanta averaged 123.5 points and 35.8 assists during the four-game stretch and posted the best defensive rating in the East.
Johnson’s emergence has placed him among the league’s most versatile producers. Through 12 games, he is averaging 21.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists on career-best shooting marks, joining Jokić, Giánnis Antetokoúnmpo, Alperen Şengün and Josh Giddey as the only players meeting those thresholds.
Even with the recognition, Johnson’s message remained unchanged.
“It’s good to get those types of recognitions,” he said. “But I definitely want to keep going.”