What happened to Jalen Johnson? Latest injury update on Hawks’ forward after scary fall vs Heat (April 9)

Atlanta Hawks standout forward Jalen Johnson left the game against the Miami Heat mid-way due to an ankle injury and was subsequently ruled out.

The 22-year-old player left Tuesday's game at State Farm Arena with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter during the Hawks' resurgence. Johnson attempted a running layup and upon landing out of bounds, he twisted his ankle and fell to the ground.

Johnson, unassisted, made his way to the Hawks' bench and engaged in a brief conversation with Hawks head coach Quin Snyder before promptly heading to the locker room. Shortly after, the Hawks declared him out of the game due to a right ankle sprain.

By the end of the evening, he tallied 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and contributed three assists.

Jalen Johnson's rise to stardom affected by injuries

This incident marks the third occurrence of a right ankle sprain for Johnson within the past four weeks. The initial sprain occurred during the game against the Cavaliers on March 8, after which he returned after sitting out three games.

Jalen experienced a second sprain of his right ankle on March 18, leading to a six-game absence before his return. Earlier in the season, he sat out 14 games due to a left distal radius fracture from Nov. 25 to Dec. 26.

Throughout this season, he has maintained an average of 16 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists over the course of 55 games.

Quin Snyder sheds light on Jalen Johnson's progress in Atlanta

Per Quin Synder, Jalen is evolving into a cornerstone player that Atlanta firmly believes will form as strong a foundation for the Hawks as any other player on their roster.

He is steadily evolving into a cornerstone that Atlanta firmly believes will provide a robust foundation for the Hawks, matching the confidence held by the organization in any other player on their roster.

Within an offense predominantly crafted around the prowess of All-Star guard Trae Young, Snyder adeptly carves out opportunities to entrust Johnson with the ball. Whether it's in moments of rebounding and swift transition akin to Blake Griffin's prime with the LA Clippers or Ben Simmons' peak in Philadelphia, Snyder directs Johnson toward strategic positions on the sidelines.