Texas freshman Tre Johnson is one of the most skilled players in the 2025 draft class.
Tre Johnson is the best freshman since Kevin Durant 😤
vs. UCONN:
24 points🔥
2 REBS💪
4 ASTS😮💨#NBA #HookM #CBB 🏀 pic.twitter.com/w9ItcNuQeZ— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) December 9, 2024
Johnson, a 6-foot-6, 184-pound shooting guard, currently averages an SEC-best 21.1 points per game. What makes his production even more impressive is his efficiency, shooting 48.2% from the field and 43.8% from three. He hasn’t made much of an impact outside of his scoring ability, and his contributions as a facilitator and defender are modest. Despite this, he’s still a little more balanced than given.
At this point, he’s likely still outside of the projected top three.
Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg doesn’t have a firm grip on the No. 1 spot, but he still might be the safest bet. Rutgers freshman forward Ace Bailey remains the No. 1 prospect, despite the mixed reviews. Rutgers freshman guard Dylan Harper has taken over Baylor freshman guard VJ Edgecomb as the consensus top-three prospect. In fact, he made an excellent case to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
But Johnson may be playing well enough to overshadow the contributions of promising players like BYU freshman guard Egor Demin and University of Illinois freshman guard Kasparas Jaksionis. Demin and Jaxionis are super-sized playmakers who can do it all. Their blend of size, skill, and international intrigue gives them a certain appeal to draft scouts. Despite this, neither exhibits the type of shot creation or scoring instincts that Johnson possesses. He could have a higher ceiling than Demin or Jaksionis in a league that often values players who can get their buckets.
Ultimately, Johnson could be selected in the top five next summer. But even if the 2024-25 season ended today, he shouldn’t be any worse than a top-10 pick. That being said, he is currently projected to have a pick in the 4th to 10th pick range, with multiple teams likely to be interested in him.
The team that Johnson is best suited for now and in the future is the Portland Trail Blazers.
Red-hot Texas shooter Tre Johnson is a perfect draft choice for the Blazers
At this point, it’s unclear who the Blazers are considering as part of their future backcourt.
Anfernee Simons, the No. 24 pick in 2018, has more scoring power than Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in 2023, but he also has more hitting power. Additionally, 2025-26 will be the final year of the contract. 2022 No. 7 pick Shaydon Sharpe is arguably the most talented player on the team, but he has been injury prone. Unless extended, his contract expires next season.
However, each of the aforementioned players has one thing in common. That’s the inefficiency after the arc. In fact, Simons, Henderson, and Sharpe are each shooting less than 33 percent from 3-point range this season. This is a big reason why the Blazers rank 25th in three-point percentage (.333) and 26th in offensive rating (106.8) this season.
By drafting Johnson, Portland could definitely boost those numbers.
Equally important, they will now have a wider range of options available to them. Next season, the Texan could start between Simmons and Sharpe or Henderson and Sharpe. He could start alongside Henderson and Simmons. He could also come off the bench in a sixth-man role. Additionally, the Blazers would have a replacement readily available if they don’t want to keep Simmons or Sharpe long-term.
