ATLANTA — Jalen Johnson, a forward for the Atlanta Hawks, has made the decision to undergo shoulder surgery, which will keep him out for the remainder of the current season. This comes as a significant setback for the Hawks as they strive to maintain their position in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

The Hawks confirmed on Wednesday that Johnson has suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder and is scheduled to have surgery next week. The operation will be carried out by Dr. Kyle Hammond at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex located in Atlanta. Following the surgery, Johnson is anticipated to be ready to return for the 2025-26 season.

Johnson has been sidelined for the past three games, which includes the recent 100-96 defeat to the Houston Rockets that marked Atlanta’s sixth consecutive loss, their longest losing streak of the year. Currently, with a record of 22-25, the Hawks find themselves in ninth place in the Eastern Conference as they gear up for an upcoming game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

The injury occurred during a home game against the Toronto Raptors on January 23, when Johnson injured his left shoulder and had to leave the court and go to the locker room immediately.

According to reports, including one from ESPN, this surgery will effectively end Johnson’s season. The 2021 first-round draft choice is having a breakout year, averaging 18.9 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, functioning as a crucial scoring partner to Trae Young.

Prior to this injury, Johnson had also missed six games earlier in the season due to inflammation in his right shoulder. With his absence, rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher, who was the top pick in last year’s draft, will face increased expectations to step up. Risacher is currently averaging 10.5 points per game, ranking seventh on the team.

Adding to his accolades, Risacher has been selected to participate in the Rising Stars event in San Francisco on February 14, which is part of the NBA All-Star weekend festivities.