Jalen Johnson 2021 NBA Draft Profile

The 2021 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Jalen Johnson 2021 NBA Draft Profile.

Jalen Johnson Background

Position: Forward

Size: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds

School: Duke

Class: Freshman

2020-21 stats: 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.2 steals, 52.3% FG, 44.4% 3PT, 63.2% FT

For a few different reasons, Johnson only played 13 games of college basketball last season. He was still able to do enough to make himself a solid NBA Draft prospect.

A five-star recruit out of Milwaukee, Johnson could’ve gone to just about anywhere in the country and chose to play for the Duke Blue Devils. He battled injuries and eventually opted out for the season as the Blue Devils were struggling. After playing 13 games for Duke, Johnson averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Since opting out of the college basketball season, Johnson has been prepping for the 2021 NBA Draft. He is currently projected to be a lottery pick.

Strengths

Johnson has tremendous skill for a player of his size. He is 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, which is a solid size for a wing player. Even though he is that big, he is able to handle the ball very well. At Duke he routinely would bring the ball up the court when he played. He can handle the ball well and with good speed to get to the basket in transition.

He can be a three-level scorer at the next level. As mentioned, he can drive to the basket well for a player of his size and finishes decently once he gets there. He showed the ability to post up smaller opponents and score regularly. Johnson shot well from both the mid-range and from deep to help make him a versatile scorer. He doesn’t have the quickest release, but Johnson was efficient with his shooting at Duke.

His ability to guard multiple positions increases his defensive value. He can guard just about any player on the floor because of his footspeed and body control. Johnson showed the ability to jump into passing lanes at 1.2 steals per game and to protect the rim at 1.2 rebounds per game.

Weaknesses

If he isn’t in post up situations, it may be harder for Johnson to score on smaller defenders. He doesn’t have the quickest first step to be able to beat quick defenders in half-court situations. Johnson also doesn’t drive with much strength to overpower them. Because he won’t be faster than smaller opponents, Johnson needs to drive hard to the basket.

To be a more well-rounded offensive player, Johnson needs to hit a higher percentage of his free throws. He has the size and ball-handling to be fouled a lot at the next level. At Duke, he shot just 63 percent from the free throw line. Johnson had the touch for mid-range jumpers and just needs to translate that to the free throw line.

When handling the ball, Johnson needs to be more aware. He has some careless turnovers from getting his pocket picked and from poor passes. At Duke he had a negative assist to turnover ratio. If teams want him to handle the ball a lot for mismatch purposes, he needs to do so without turning the ball over.

Projected Draft Range: Lottery Pick

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