One of the hardest positions to develop in the NBA is the self-creating wing. Plenty of wings have come into the league who lack physicality and the tools to finish well at the rim. Even fewer have the shots at all levels of the court and there’s an even smaller group with the abilities to pass and facilitate. If you think hard enough, apart from the likes of Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and LeBron James, there are no wings capable of doing all of these things.

Well, not truly. If everything goes to plan, Atlanta Hawks wing Jalen Johnson might be able to sit at the table with the other mentioned elite wings of the NBA. However, this did not seem possible back when the fourth-year Johnson joined the league. He went from rarely playing as a rookie to a pivotal part of the Hawks squad. Furthermore, his journey started back when his father started training Jalen alongside his brothers, from his then stint at Duke to now teams wishing they picked him sooner than the Hawks with the 20th pick.

Let’s take a look at the Hawks forward’s roots and get to know more about him.

What is Jalen Johnson’s nationality? Does he come from a basketball family?

Born in Wausau, Wisconsin, in the United States to parents Stacy and Roderick Johnson. Jalen has always been into basketball and that comes from the fact that both Stacy and Roderick were hoopers themselves. Additionally, his father played for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and also played at Southeast Missouri State University before heading to Europe to play professionally for two years in Poland.

On the other hand, Jalen’s mother also represented the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In fact, it was the place where Stacy and Roderick met for the first time before eventually dating each other. Although not much is known about Johnson’s family roots, they seem to be American citizens. Jalen also has three brothers, and to no surprise, the other three are also into basketball.

Jalen’s three brothers are- Rod Johnson, Kobe Johnson, and Rodez Watson. Furthermore, Rod played his collegiate basketball at UT Chattanooga and Western Illinois whereas his other brother Kobe suited up for UCLA. There’s no doubt that basketball runs in the veins of the Johnson family.

Which University did Jalen Johnson attend before getting drafted into the NBA?

Jalen Johnson was one of the top recruits in the country and was on the list of every basketball powerhouse. However, it was Duke who managed to bag the youngster as they pitched Johnson and his family that Duke would prepare him just like Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram to which they agreed. But, COVID-19 stopped the world, and his whole family.

As the pandemic went on, the Blue Devils delayed their starting dates for incoming recruits. After testing positive for the virus, Johnson was one of the last players to join the camp. Finally, arriving at Duke, Johnson was tipped to be the new star and although he just played 13 games he showcased his ability averaging 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and two assists.

However, things ended on a bitter note due to the pandemic and Jalen not feeling the best in the environment. Johnson announced he’d leave the Blue Devils in between the college season, a decision which was quite controversial and raised many eyebrows but he claimed it was in the best interest of him and his family. Well, it turned out just fine as he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks as the 20th overall pick in 2021.