Duke basketball alum Quin Snyder and 2020-21 Blue Devil one-and-done Jalen Johnson are on a three-game winning streak with the Atlanta Hawks (17-15). They’re steadily climbing the Eastern Conference standings, up to No. 6 and only 1.5 games back of the fourth-place Orlando Magic.
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And Johnson’s consistent growth has him in the All-Star conversation, as the mere 23-year-old forward and former No. 20 overall draft pick is now averaging a career-high 20.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 51.2 percent from the field across his 30 outings as a full-time starter.
On Saturday, two days after fueling a 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter to defeat the Chicago Bulls in Atlanta while delivering his first career 30-point performance, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound Johnson posted 28 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in a 120-110 home win over the Miami Heat. It marked his fourth straight double-double.
Four of the 24 Duke basketball talents on an NBA contract this season have played more than 20 games and are averaging at least 20 points. The other three are Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (28.7), Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (24.6), and Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (23.7).
Plus, Jalen Johnson is the only NBA Blue Devil currently averaging double-digit boards.
In other words, the former five-star recruit from Wisconsin has emerged as one of the most durably productive Duke products in the league.
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