The Washington Wizards selected rookie Tre Johnson No. 6 overall in the star-studded 2025 NBA Draft. Coming out of Texas, Johnson built his reputation as a sniper, averaging nearly 20 points per game while shooting an elite 39.7% from beyond the arc.
But with big names like Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, and Kon Knueppel overtaking the hype of the rookie class, fellow rookies like Johnson have slipped into the background.
On NBA.com’s latest weekly Rookie Ladder, Johnson was tied for tenth after going unranked the previous week. For much of the season, the Rookie Ladder has rarely made room for Johnson, as he has been ranked higher than tenth just four times all year.
Tre Johnson’s Production
Despite his lack of online recognition, Johnson is performing like a high-level rookie. This season, he’s tallying 12.9 points per game, sixth among rookies, and shooting 39.3% from the three-point line, third among rookies (min. three 3PA).
His efficiency doesn’t waver with greater difficulty. On pull-up threes, Johnson has made a blazing-hot 43.4% of his shots, ranking fourth in the league (min. two 3PA). And from the corner, he’s even more lethal, nailing 51.2% of his threes, ranking the third best in the rookie class (min. 20 attempts).
The flashes are evident. In a loss against Charlotte, Johnson had a career game. He posted a game-high 26 points and nailed six triples on 40% efficiency. In a win against Portland, he scorched the hardwood with 18 points on 60% shooting from outside.
And in just 39 career games, Johnson has already etched his name into franchise history. After going 5-for-5 from deep in a loss against the Phoenix Suns and opening 4-for-4 in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks, he became the first Wizard to hit nine straight threes.
To put the cherry on top, he has range. On shots between 30 and 34 feet from the basket, Johnson is scoring at a 33.3% clip. For reference, Stephen Curry is scoring at a 31.3% clip from that same distance.
Tre’s Confidence Is Evident
Tre Johnson shoots with the confidence of a veteran, finding the comfort to put up any shot from downtown, no matter the difficulty.
“It’s really just a corner three at the end of the day, so I shot it, and I made one before, so that helped,” Johnson told The Lead’s Jarrett Spence in regards to a difficult, fade-away corner three-point attempt he took in a game against the Denver Nuggets.
Tre Johnson is adding his name to the list of the NBA’s green-light shooters through his own nature. He’s not a primary ball handler. His value has shown by off-ball movement, spacing, and the willingness to take shots most guards would hesitate to.
His gravity is already reshaping defenses. With a near-40% three-point shooter in the corner, opponents stay home, leading to open lanes for fellow young stand-out Alex Sarr.
Why So Quiet?
Washington’s struggles are no secret this year. For the third straight season, the Wizards are sitting below a 25% win percentage. While there are rooks on similarly struggling, small-market teams higher on the ladder, Washington’s continued woes certainly don’t help Johnson.
Match that with their limited national TV schedule, as they just played their second and final nationally broadcast game of the season, and there’s a recipe for under-the-radar performances.
What draws more buzz for first-year players are the ones who create on the ball. Of the nine players ahead of Johnson on the ladder, six hold a higher usage rate than his 20.6% mark. He, on the other hand, thrives off the ball. If a player is not dominating possessions, buzz may not follow.
This isn’t to say Johnson is the Rookie of the Year or his play outweighs the likes of Knueppel’s and Flagg’s. It’s to acknowledge the fact that his type of impact doesn’t fit how rookie recognition is typically rewarded. His consistently low rankings have shown that.
Substance Over Spotlight
What Tre Johnson doesn’t need to do is force his way up the ladder. What’s worked for him is scoring within the flow of the offense, serving as a piece of Washington’s *unfinished* offensive puzzle.
He’s doing exactly what he was drafted to do: shoot. In today’s league, that’s one of the most bankable skills for a young guard.
The spotlight hasn’t found him yet, but the effectiveness and efficiency won’t wait up for it.
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