2021 Atlanta Hawks Summer League Thread

[JayBirdHawk]

Grading Every Top NBA Rookie at 2021 Las Vegas Summer League

Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks, SF/PF, No. 20 pick)

The No. 7 player on Bleacher Report's big board fell to No. 20, where it looks like the Hawks found a steal. At 19.0 points per game, he is fourth among rookies in scoring and tied for second in rebounding (9.5). Johnson converted some fantastic finishes in transition, but he also looked sharper than advertised as a shooter with five threes in four games. His athleticism, face-up game, passing and improving touch create unique versatility and star potential that too many teams overlooked.

Sharife Cooper (Atlanta Hawks, PG, No. 48 pick)

Cooper has already started to make most of the NBA look silly for betting against his size and shooting. He's third in summer league in assists (7.3), and he made five threes against the Indiana Pacers, including a buzzer-beater winner. Even if the scoring doesn't translate, his passing will.

 

Grading Every Top NBA Rookie at 2021 Las Vegas Summer League | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights

[marco102]

Recognition for our top rookie.

He definitely looked like a top 5 talent out there. Glad qe could scoop him up.

[Wretch]

The 13 best rookies at 2021 NBA Summer League, ranked

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11. Sharife Cooper, G, Atlanta Hawks

Sharife Cooper is the 2021 NBA Draft’s Point God in training
The NBA somehow let Cooper fall to No. 48 on draft night because he’s a tiny point guard who struggled to shoot in college. It was obvious at the time that was foolish. We had Cooper as a top-10 player in this draft because he’s an absolute magician with the ball who has an incredible gift for passing his teammates open. He showed how talented he is from the moment he arrived in Vegas. Cooper dropped 21 points and nine assists on the Summer Pacers, and then put up 21 points and 12 assists on the Summer Sixers two days later. Did we mention he hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, too?

Cooper even hit 5-of-8 threes in one game. While the size and shooting are still a concern, there simply aren’t many players who the world who can create offense like he can. It feels like he rolls out of bed and posts a near 50 percent assist rate. Cooper only signed a two-way contract, and will likely spend most of his time in the G League. You can expect him to do what he’s done against SEC and Summer League competition, which is post big numbers and plenty of highlight-reel plays.

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3. Jalen Johnson, F, Atlanta Hawks

We had Johnson as a top-10 talent in this class, but the NBA let him slip all the way to No. 20 on draft night after a disappointing freshman year at Duke. That already looks like a mistake. The 6’9 forward was a two-way force in Las Vegas, showing off his transition scoring, rebounding, passing flashes, defensive playmaking ability, and a surprisingly good shooting stroke over his four games in Summer League. He ended his run averaging 19 points, 9.5 rebounds, two assists, and 1.25 blocks per game on outstanding 64.6 percent true shooting.

Johnson is big and athletic with rare comfort as a ball handler and passer in the open court for a player his size. NBA teams thought he’d be a shaky fit in halfcourt offenses because of his shooting struggles, but Johnson shot the ball really well in Vegas, hitting 5-of-12 three-pointers and 9-of-11 free throws. His defense always seemed to be an under-discussed asset of his game, and he looked great on that end in Summer League. It will be fascinating to see how Johnson slots into an Atlanta team which already has so much depth and young talent, but he looked like a player who will be tough to keep off the floor after his performance in Vegas.

https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2021/8/17/22627296/nba-summer-league-2021-las-vegas-rookies-ranked-jalen-green

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

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Schlenk has said that the Hawks' G League team, the College Park Skyhawks, figures to play a role in the development of the some of the young Hawks this season with the roster being as deep as it is. To what extent that happens remains to be seen. However, the things that Johnson, Cooper and Mays did in Las Vegas put them right on the precipice of being viable NBA contributors now and in the near future.