Scouting Report for Atlanta Hawks Undrafted Free Agent Signing Kobe Johnson
The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent Kobe Johnson after he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
Johnson is a sort of Swiss army knife-like wing who did just about everything but score during his four-year career at USC and UCLA. He was a two-time All-Defense selection in the Pac-12 before making another All-Defense team in the Big Ten this past season.
Johnson averaged only double-figures once in his career (and not by much). But he has the know-how and all-around game to perhaps develop into an NBA gap-filler.
Essential Facts and Stats
College: UCLA | Position: SF | Height: 6'5" | Weight: 192 | Age: 22 | Wingspan: 6'7.5" | PPG: 7.9 | RPG: 5.9 | APG: 2.9 | BPG: 0.3 | SPG: 1.6 | FG%: 46.4
Realistic Pro Comparison: Dalen Terry
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Johnson resembles Dalen Terry as another big guard who can pass and defend but struggles to shoot. Neither have traditional positions, but versatility and being glue guys could become their calling cards.
For Johnson, the ability to be a connecting passer could give him a leg up on Terry and improve his chances of sticking around in the NBA long-term.
Strengths
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Defense: Johnson's competitiveness, versatility and willingness to take on any defensive assignment could make him an NBA difference-maker, regardless of what happens with his scoring.
Passing: This is not necessarily a direct comparison, but part of what has allowed Draymond Green to thrive in the NBA without great scoring ability is his vision and passing. Johnson's feel as a passer could similarly lift him.
Versatility: Again, Johnson does just about everything but score. While that's an awfully important part of basketball, having a player who takes the less glamorous parts of the game off the scorers' plates is important as well.
Weaknesses
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Shot Creation: While Johnson has proven adept at finding teammates, he's not often generating those looks for them, and he certainly doesn't generate a ton for himself.
Shooting: Johnson showed a little life as a three-point shooter in 2024-25, but for his career, he made just 33.9 percent of his attempts from long range. More consistency there could go a long way toward helping him carve out an NBA role.
Athleticism: That Johnson is as good a defender as he is without top-flight athleticism is sort of impressive, but his instincts and feel for the game on that end will be tested even more against NBA players.
