Hawks G League coach on Jalen Johnson’s ceiling: ‘I see a mini LeBron in him’

Atlanta Hawks power forward Jalen Johnson has spent a portion of his rookie season in the G League, and he is certainly turning some heads.

The Duke University product was selected by the Hawks with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

While he has averaged just 1.7 points and 1.0 rebound in the 17 NBA games he’s played in so far this season, he is doing a lot more in the G League.

In fact, his G League head coach has said that he sees a “mini” LeBron James in Johnson. That’s lofty praise considering the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers star is widely considered to be one of the best players to ever walk play the game of basketball.

So far in his G League career, Johnson has averaged an impressive 21.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

As all basketball fans know, success in the G League does not always translate to success in the big show. However, considering Johnson’s overall talent, it stands to reason that once he is ready, he will be able to enjoy success in the NBA.

The Hawks could certainly use an injection of talent right now. They are currently the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, and it seems as if they will be participating in the league’s play-in tournament.

The Lakers are in a similar position. They’re currently the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and seem to be in pretty solid position to make it to the play-in tournament as well.