Former Duke basketball forward strikes it rich in Atlanta

Last season was Jalen Johnson's third season with the Atlanta Hawks since opting out of his 2020-21 Duke basketball freshman season and going No. 20 overall in the NBA Draft. The 22-year-old forward has nearly tripled his scoring average since his second year in the league. And that impressive jump to 16.0 points per game – not to mention 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals – has led to a big payday.

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On Monday night, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Hawks have reinvested in the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Johnson as part of a five-year, $150 million rookie contract extension.

As Charania noted, the former five-star guard from Wisconsin is one of only six NBA players in history to post season averages of at least 16 points, eight boards, three dimes and one 3-point make before the age of 23 have scored per game.

Jalen Johnson is the only NBA Blue Devil on the Hawks' 2024-25 roster.

However, the Hawks' head coach is former Duke basketball player, late 1980s point guard and 1990s Blue Devils assistant Quin Snyder, who is entering his second full season at the helm in Atlanta.

The Atlanta Hawks, looking to bounce back from a 36-46 record in the 2023-24 season, tip off their 2024-25 regular season at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

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