2025 NBA Draft scouting report: Tre Johnson, G, Texas
Summary: Clutch shot-maker who can catch fire all over the floor and has a willingness to pass the ball, though he needs to dramatically improve on defense.
Comparisons: Devin Booker, Klay Thompson, Tyler Herro
Shot-making: Smooth shooter off of movement, whether it's movement 3s off the catch moving away from the basket, or step-backs off the dribble going to his left or right. He's even effective scoring from the post getting into fadeaways and turnarounds.
Skilled ball-handling: Uses crossovers, hesitations and jab steps to shake defenders on the perimeter to create space to launch jumpers from anywhere. And he's decisive when the ball is in his hands, making quick decisions rather than dribbling the air out of the ball.
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Off-ball scoring: Johnson never stops moving. Texas ran him through mazes of screens to get him shots. After making a pass, he'll relocate to open space. He's a cutter too.
Point guard upside: Selfless passer looks for kick-ahead opportunities on the break, and in the half court he largely executes simple passes, but he also has the ability to make flashy interior passes to cutters and kickouts. At Link Academy he was tasked with more passing, and he showed a great feel for handling pressure in the pick-and-roll and spraying the ball around the floor with more complex live dribble passes.
The 'it' factor: Johnson hit countless clutch shots as a Texas freshman, showing confidence in difficult moments, and his teammates seemed to rally around him. He credits teammates for good passes and celebrates their made shots, showing his enthusiasm for passing in the way he does for scoring. He'll toy with crowds on the road, and pump up the home crowd, always looking like a player who genuinely loves every aspect of basketball.
Defense: He lacks strength and great size, so he could become a target on defense. To make matters worse, his effort, focus and awareness are uninspiring both on-ball and off-ball.
Shot selection: With a slight build, he struggles to absorb contact and finish through bumps at the rim. It also affects him on drives, since he can't exactly plow through defenders and doesn't have top-end speed or an elite handle to compensate. This leads to him taking super tough floaters or layups from too far away, and helps explain why he's so heavily reliant on tough jumpers.
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