Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has been in the midst of a long recovery process after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum. But the 23-year-old vowed in a media availability Thursday that he will be back and ready to play next season.
“When you’re in the league, you’re constantly learning about your body, how things may need to tweak here and there,” Johnson said. “So, I’m still learning things, learning new things. I got a great staff around me who provides great insight on things like that. So I just been trying to take knowledge from a lot of people, other athletes and stuff like that as far as you know, maybe what they do, I mean their preparation. But I’m confident in what I do, and I know I’ll get back to 100%.”
Johnson exited the Jan. 23 game against the Raptors early into the second quarter after injuring his left shoulder. Doctors later diagnosed the forward with a torn labrum and he had surgery last month.
He wore a sling for some time but has since been seen without one as he goes through his recovery and rehab process.
“It’s going good. It’s a slow process,” Johnson said. “(It) obviously sucks, but it’s been good. Not really looking (too far ahead). Just trying to get back, take my time with everything. And I don’t really got a date yet, but yeah, I’ll be good by next season.”
Part of his rehab includes working with Upper Extremity Specialist Mojca “Mo” Herman, who worked with him last season when he rehabbed a fractured left wrist.
“She’s been good,” Johnson said. “Mo has been one of the main people I’ve been working with, ever since she got here, like even beforehand. What she does is great. Her track record of athletes she’s worked with, it speaks for itself. So we’re very fortunate to have someone like Mo on the staff. And you know when she comes around, it’s great.”
The Hawks have missed Johnson’s presence on the court and his ability to push the team’s pace and ability to get out transition. The Hawks were 18-17 with Johnson on the court, cracked the top six and went to the semifinals of the NBA Cup. But they’ve gone 10-17 without Johnson and have hovered around the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference for several weeks.
But Johnson has tried to remain engaged even if he can’t contribute the way he wants to.
“Obviously, I wish we could get some more wins right now, and that’s what the main goal is for us as a team,” Johnson said. “And I’m still trying to play a role in it, even though I’m not playing, I still want to have an impact on this team. Even if it’s just in the locker room or at practice or something like that, I’m still looking for ways to just interact with guys, because obviously I love being around them. I miss being around them all the time.”
But as he continues to rehab his way back to full health, Johnson has continued to lean on his family for support.
“My conversations with my mom turn into like, hour phone calls, three hour phone calls,” Johnson said. “It’s just good. It’s great to have a support system like that that loves and cares about you so much, regardless of what you do for a living. They care about you as a person. So I’m extremely grateful for that, and they’ve been a huge help as well with all this.”
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