Jason Kidd reveals first impression of Wizards’ Tre Johnson amid hot start

ByNBAUSA



WASHINGTON, DC – Washington Wizards For months, fans have dreamed of landing Duke University superstar Cooper Flagg as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, but The Dallas Mavericks won the May NBA draft lottery instead despite having a 12.2 percent worse chance. The Wizards received the No. 6 pick, which was the lowest they could get as the second-worst ranked team in the sport last season. However, they still landed University of Texas guard Tre Johnsonwhich is hardly a consolation prize.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd praised the 19-year-old before his team beat the Wizards 111-105 on Saturday.

“He’s playing well. You can see his confidence growing,” the Hall of Famer said. “When you’re a young player in this league, you have to be around positive (examples) … CJ (McCollum) and (Khris) Middleton are helping these young players.

Indeed, Johnson wasted no time in asserting himself. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder ranks third among rookies with 5.1 three-point attempts per game and fourth among rookies averaging at least three attempts in three-point field goal percentage (37.5), according to NBA.com. Meanwhile, Flagg is making 26.2 percent of his 3.8 attempts.

That’s not to say Johnson is better than Flegg, especially since he’s primarily a jumper while the other is a three-level player. But it shows that Washington fans have a lot to be excited about, as their newest lottery pick shines just 11 games into his career.

Kidd isn’t the only prominent NBA figure to notice Johnson’s prowess. Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse called 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year “very good” and someone who has “a knack for scoring in a lot of ways” before his team’s 139-134 overtime win over the Wizards on Oct. 28, via Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network. Flagg, who communicated with Johnson and the rest of his peers in this rookie class during the pre-draft process, had similar comments after Saturday’s game, via Todd.

Players and coaches are usually diplomatic when asked to describe opponents and teammates in interviews, but each quote can reveal a different truth. For example, Kidd pointed to Johnson’s confidence, which is helped by and the veteran leadership of McCollum and Middleton. Nurse also mentioned the Texas native’s scoring talent, which the 76ers noticed before eventually drafting Baylor running back VJ Edgecombe No. 3 overall. Finally, Flagg admitted he’s not close to Johnson, but he “definitely” knows him and is happy to see him thrive in the nation’s capital.

The two top-six picks may not be best friends yet, but they have a common language. Each is expected to help improve the losing teams, as Dallas is 3-8 while Washington is 1-10. The difference is that the Wizards needed to be bottom of the standings again to keep their top eight protected lottery pick next summer, while former Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison claimed that his team would “compete for the championship” in 2025-26. during an April press conference, via Isaac Harris of Locked On Mavericks. Harrison was then fired on Tuesday as the organization recovers from the fallout from the February trade of Luka Doncic.

Regardless, it reflects well on Johnson that the few opposing players or coaches asked about him have mixed compliments, and that will help him be part of a team with a clear vision of a rebuild, rather than one in turmoil.

Alex Sarr describes Tre Johnson’s importance

Of course, Johnson’s teammates also appreciate him. Second-year Washington center Alex Sarr explained the scorer relevance to the offence after Saturday’s defeat.

“Being aggressive. Being a very good shooter, he draws the defense out,” said the 2025 first-team All-Rookie honoree. “He can make plays for others, puts the ball on the floor. He makes a lot of plays.”

The Wizards aren’t outclassing the rest of the NBA offensively, but the addition of Johnson has helped them make a jump. For example, they rank 23rd with 113.6 points per game after finishing 27th with 108 last season, and they rank 21st with 53.3 effective field goal percentage after ranking 28th with a 51.2 percent clip. They are also 24th in true shooting percentage at 56.2 percent, after finishing 29th at 54.6 percent.

These improvements are also due to other factors, e.g Sarr and sophomore wing Kishawn George both develop into reliable shooters as they gain experience. At the same time, these things go hand in hand. Johnson’s presence draws defensive attention and leaves space on the floor, making it easier for his teammates to score.

The next step for the former McDonald’s All-American is to play 25-plus points to show the NBA world that he can score as well as any of his fellow rookies on any given night. Flagg, Edgecombe and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel have done it, so now it’s time for him to make a statement.

Johnson’s next chance to do so will be a road game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and a home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.





2025-11-11 22:19:00

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