UCLA's Kobe Johnson Takes Another NBA Summer League Leap

The former Bruin guard continues to improve in his quest for a fully guaranteed contract.

Mar 3, 2025; Evanston, Illinois, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kobe Johnson (0) reacts to a call by the referee against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Former UCLA men's guard Kobe Johnson is improving every game in the NBA Summer League with the Atlanta Hawks. And in his first start, he helped Atlanta improve to 4-0 in Las Vegas.

Johnson first showed his continuous improvement when he scored eight points, four rebounds and two steals in a 98-90 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday. That performance erased what was a shaky two-point, 1-of-3 shooting summer debut against the Miami Heat on Saturday.

On Thursday, though, he continued on his quest for a guaranteed contract with the Hawks when he had an efficient 12 points, four rebounds and two assists on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc in a 92-88 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Hawks are now undefeated in four games in the Las Vegas Summer League and will undoubtedly advance to the tournament playoffs as a high seed.

A game like this moves the former Bruin closer to earning a guaranteed contract with Atlanta. The Hawks overhauled their roster, trying to build a contender in the depleted Eastern Conference. Johnson's skill set alone makes him an ideal player archetype that the Hawks have valued for a while.

The recipe for building success around Trae Young, Atlanta discovered, is surrounding the All-Star point guard with long, athletic wings like Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson (Kobe's brother). That is exactly the type of player Johnson is, but in guard form.

Johnson spent his senior season in Westwood after playing three seasons with the crosstown rival USC Trojans. The 6-foot-6 guard started all 34 games for the Bruins last season and averaged 7.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game (led the team) on 29.0 minutes per game. He was selected to the Big Ten All-Defensive team, which is his third time receiving conference all-defensive honors in his career.

His defensive identity alone is what made him attractive to various teams in the draft. He could potentially thrive in the backcourt next to Young, especially if his perimeter shot is falling. Undrafted free agents are a long shot by default, but those who have the skillset and grit that Johnson plays with often find themselves a spot in the modern NBA.

Though the schedule updates daily, Johnson and Atlanta are expected to play again on Saturday. Opponent and game times are to be announced on Friday.

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