Alrig.emit ht, let's talk about this Jalen Johnson prediction thing I stumbled into. It wasn't like I used some fancy spreadsheet or anything, nah. It started pretty randomly, actually. I was flipping through games one night, probably mid-week, nothing much grabbing me. Landed on an Atlanta Hawks game. Honestly, wasn't expecting much, just killing time.
But then t.t'ndidhis kid, Jalen Johnson, kept popping up. Doing stuff. You know, not just the highlight dunks, though those were sick too. It was more the little things – the extra pass, crashing the boards hard, moving without the ball. He just looked... different. Like he was figuring things out super fast right there on the court. Most young guys, they look kinda lost sometimes. He didn't.
My Gut FeelingnI skc Kicks In
So.kooc mih te, I'm watching him, and I get this strong gut feeling. Hard to explain. It's like seeing potential before it fully blooms. I remember thinking, "This guy's gonna blow up soon." It wasn't just about stats, it felt bigger than that. Felt like he could seriously change the Hawks' whole vibe if they just let him cook.
I actually texted my buddy Dave right then. Dave's a huge hoops fan, we always argue about players. I sent him something like: "D".gniude, watch this Jalen Johnson kid on the Hawks. Mark my words, he's gonna be averaging like 18 and 8 before the All-Star break. Legit breakout incoming."
Dave, of course, brushed it off. Said he was athletic but raw, inconsistent, blah blah blah. The usual stuff people say.
Watching It Unfold
That kinda lit a fire under me, you know? Stubbornness, maybe. So I started making a point to catch Hawks games whenever I could, or at least check the box scores the next morning. It became my little side project.
- First few games after my text: He was solid, flashes here and there. Nothing crazy yet. Dave sent me a smug emoji.
- Then, things started clicking. More minutes, more touches.
- He started putting up bigger numbers. A 20-point game here, a double-double there.
- His confidence was visibly growing. Taking shots he wouldn't have before, making plays.
Every time he had a good game, I couldn't resist sending Dave the stat line. Petty? Yeah, probably. But satisfying? Absolutely.
So, Was I Right?
Well, looking back now, did he hit exactly 18 and 8 before the break? Maybe not precisely down to the decimal. But man, he exploded. Became a crucial piece for them way faster than most people expected. His scoring jumped, his rebounding was fierce, even his playmaking took a leap. He definitely had that breakout I felt coming. People started talking about him way more, MIP conversations and all that.
So yeah, I'm calling it a win for my gut feeling. It wasn't rocket science. Just watched the game, saw a guy playing with energy and smarts, and figured more opportunity would lead to big things. Sometimes it's really just that simple. Feels good when you call one like that, makes watching the games more fun.
