Jalen Showdown (Johnson vs Williams)

[GeorgeMarcus]

J Dubs is 23 years old, JJ will be 23 in 10 days. Both players are versatile forwards listed at 220lbs, though JJ is a couple inches taller.

So far this season...

Jalen Williams:
- 21.7ppg, 60.1 TS%, 6.1rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.0 topg ---> 31.7mpg

Jalen Johnson:
- 19.8ppg, 58.5 TS%, 9.9rpg, 5.5apg, 1.3 spg, 1.1 bpg, 3.3 topg --> 36.3mpg

Without diving too deep into the +/- metrics, JW looks more favorable in the Net Rtg department while JJ looks more favorable in the on/off department (not too surprising given the teams they play for).

My guess is that JW is looked at more favorably, rightly or wrongly, due to OKC's rise to powerhouse status and being a core contributor to that success. The Hawks are a feisty team but ultimately somewhere in the middle of the NBA hierarchy, where JJ plays robin to Trae's batman.

Is my assumption right? What say you about the Jalen Showdown?

[BIGJ1ER]

Great thread.

I voted Jdub by a fair amount, since he passes my eye test better as a complimentary piece (like his on/offball D alot more), think hes the better playmaker even with JJ having the better APG, and has the better complimentary offensive skillset for mine as a secondary creator and offers absolutely elite spacing, particular as a shooter to counter nail/gap help (SGA has been making that easy read all year).

I'd love someone who's watched more hawks games than me to breakdown Jalen Johnsons game for me, espeically defensively. I've seen him get overpowered by bigger guys a fair amount, so I don't think he's a guy who can slide up and play the 5, and I haven't done a deep dive on him off the ball.

Important to note that Jdub also slaughters JJ in impact metrics this year too, he's grading out as a top 10 guy (think thats a little inflated due to the insane defensive metric boost from OKC's D as a whole).

Funny that these guys plus Franz are my most intriguing wing style prospects (although I see JJ as more of a pure 4) in the league, and make up my 2-4 in my current nba myleague sim.

[cupcakesnake]

I like Jalen Johnson a lot but what Jalen Williams is doing this season has me feeling he's a top 10 player in the league.

It's not hard to make a statistical case since he's very high up in the catch-alls (#5 in VORP, #6 in bballref BPM, #3 in thinkingbasketball BPM, #10 in PER, #14 in EPM) but for me it's the sheer amount of functional roles he's playing for the arguably the best team in the league. On defense he does EVERYTHING. He played center when Chet went down. He's a turnover forcing machine that guards 5 positions. He legitimately can do things on the back line at 6'4" that shouldn't be possible.

He has the total package on offense too. Rim threat with 30 dunks and strong interior scoring. Strong 3-point shooting. Off the dribble creation and elite counters. Midrange murderer. 91st percentile in box creation.

Jalen Johnson is really exciting. But J-Dub is the second best player (and best 2-way player?) on what's looking like a 65-win team.