Jalen Johnson
Profile:
Position: Power Forward
Role: Two-Way Playmaker
Age: 19
Nation: USA
Year: Freshman
College: Duke
Height: 6’9
Wingspan: 7’0
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Weight: 210
Stats:
Positives:
- Nice physical profile. In the past, he might have been labeled a tweener but now he fits the coveted big wing prototype. At 6’9 with a plus wingspan and great athleticism, Johnson has the perfect profile for a modern power forward with the size to occasionally play as a small 5.
- High-awareness playmaker. He has great vision, especially for his position. He can make advanced reads and deliver passes accurately to his teammates. Despite his athleticism, he always plays in a very controlled manner, allowing him to survey the floor and find the best opportunities.
- Solid handling ability. With long legs and a lot of burst, he can drive around guys and get to the rim with relative ease.
- Capable finisher. He has a nice touch around the rim and his athleticism and length allow him to finish efficiently on the inside. He has shown flashes of being an above-the-rim athlete capable of posterizing opponents and being a lob target.
- Defensive potential. He has the size and lateral quickness to be able to guard a range of opponents. His quick hands allow him to strip opponents and deflect passes. Off the ball, he is a great emergency rim protector capable of rising up and blocking shots with his long arms. He does a good job helping and his quickness and length allow him to return to his man if opponents pass out of the trap.
Negatives:
- Inconsistent shooter. He had a high 3P% in college but that was on very low volume and his free throw shooting is likely a better indicator of his shooting ability. His mechanics are inconsistent and slightly flawed. He has a slight hitch; he likes to pull the ball up to above his forehead and hold it there a bit too long before launching it forward with not enough arc. Despite the mechanical flaws, he was effective enough as a spot-up shooter, although he was dreadfully bad at hitting 3s off the dribble.
- Not a good shot creator. His handle isn’t advanced enough to reliably create space even though he has the athleticism and burst to theoretically do so. He is somewhat indecisive with the ball and his habit of playing controlled sometimes results in playing slow and unassertive.
- Inconsistent defender. His effort level fluctuates far too often and he has a tendency to ball-watch.
- Repeated history of leaving his teams. He changed high schools several times, most notably leaving IMG Academy before playing a single game. In his single season at Duke, he chose to depart from the team after only 13 games.
Upside:
- Aaron Gordon
- RJ Barrett
- Ben Simmons
Notes:
Formerly a contender to be a top 5 pick in this draft, Jalen Johnson’s tumultuous college experience has caused him to fall down the boards a bit. During his time at Duke, Johnson showcased his skills as a playmaker, finisher, and defender, although he didn’t appear to be truly elite in any of those areas and there are concerns about his shooting consistency and shot creation ability moving forward.
Without a go-to skill, it is hard to project what his role in the NBA will turn out to be, and without improving in a lot of areas, his NBA floor is on the lower side. With that said, he has a lot of potential and he has an undeniably good feel for the game that inspires confidence he will be able to figure out how to be impactful in the NBA. His upside to be a playmaking wing who can score on and off the ball, as well as defend, will be enough to intrigue teams picking in the lottery.
