Well-renowned NBA youngster Jalen Johnson has three brothers: Rod, Kobe, and Rodez. Basketball runs throughout the Johnson family as brothers Rod and Kobe are also involved in the sport.
As one of the prominent young NBA talents, fans are interested in Jalen Johnson’s brothers and family chronicles.
Jalen is one of the most talented, athletic, and hard-working players in the league, with experts and fans tipping him to go to the very top of the game in the future.
Jalen Johnson was born in Wisconsin, United States, on December 18, 2001. In high school basketball, he played for three teams: Sun Praire, Nicolet High, and IMG Academy.
After posting amazing statistics, he got a 5-star rating from ESPN coming out of school. Ultimately, Jalen decided to play for Duke University, where his game developed further.
Johnson’s big moment came in the 2021 NBA draft, where the Atlanta Hawks selected him as the 20th overall pick.
Regarding his personal life, he is active on Instagram (@jalenjohnson), posting pictures of his family and games.
Meet Jalen Johnson Brothers And Family
Jalen Johnson has three brothers: Rod Johnson, Kobe Johnson, and Rodez Watson. Like Jalen, his brothers Rod and Kobe are involved in basketball.
Jalen’s younger brother, Kobe, plays for the University of South California (USC) as a junior. He is a key player for the USC outfit, starting in all their games in the preceding season.
The Nicolet High graduate loves Will Smith and Kevin Hart and has stated his sporting hero is Floyd Mayweather. In a 2020 interview, he stated how having a sporting family helped his career and development as a basketball player.
On the other hand, Jalen’s older brother, Rod, played collegiate basketball for Chattanooga and Western Illinois. At university, Rod majored in sports, Outdoor Recreation, and Tourism Management.
The Atlanta Hawks Power Forward also has another brother named Rodez Watson. He also played basketball at a young age, as evidenced by his profile on
Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy website.
Regarding his family chronicles, Jalen’s parents are Roderick and Stacey Johnson. Father Roderick played at the college level for Milwaukee and Southeast Missouri and professionally in Poland for two years.
Similarly, Stacey also featured for Milwaukee in her college days. Overall, we can see that the Johnson family has basketball running in their DNA.
Jalen Johnson Racism Incident In 2019
In high school, Jalen was one of the country’s highly-rated stars. However, in a game with Port Washington in 2019, the opposing fans racially taunted Jalen.
Port Washington students distributed a photo of Johnson wearing a skincare mask reminiscent of blackface and showing him shooting free throws behind the basket.
The disgusted Johnson later tweeted that the Washington fans’ actions were unacceptable and despicable. Amidst the abuse and taunting, Johnson managed to post a triple-double in a blowout victory, silencing the opposing fans.
Johnson’s school Nicolet’s superintendent Robert Kobylski stated he was confused about whether they were trying a harmless skincare prank or whether there was a racially motivated intention about the incident.
Johnson Leaving Duke In The Middle Of The Season
In 2021, Johnson made the headlines after deciding to leave Duke in the middle of the season to prepare for the NBA draft.
Fans criticized the star for being selfish and not thinking about the team, which gave him his big break in college. To this day, Johnson defends his actions, saying taking time off early in the season helped him remain healthy and fit for the draft.
“I honestly think I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today if I hadn’t left early.”
