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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA analyst projects Tre Johnson as top-five pick in 2025 NBA draft
NBA analyst projects Tre Johnson as top-five pick in 2025 NBA draft Texas Longhorns standout Tre Johnson is expected to be among the first names called at Barclays Center on June 25. As the NBA calendar turns to June, the league's spotlight shifts to the NBA Finals and the upcoming NBA Draft, where former Texas Longhorns standout Tre Johnson is expected to be among the first names called at Barclays Center on June 25. NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor, in his latest mock draft for Yahoo Sports, projects Johnson to be selected fifth overall by the Utah Jazz, describing him as a 'clutch shot-maker who can catch fire from all over the floor, drilling step-backs and off-screen jumpers with ease." O'Connor noted that Utah's league-worst 17-win season makes Johnson, a proven scoring guard, a logical fit regardless of the Jazz's current roster construction. Johnson, 19, capped his freshman season at Texas by averaging 19.9 points per game on 42.7% shooting from the field and 39.7% from three-point range, earning Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He accounted for nearly a quarter of Texas' total points and more than a third of the team's made three-pointers, showcasing both volume and efficiency as a scorer1. Johnson also broke Kevin Durant's Texas freshman scoring record with a 39-point performance against Arkansas. Measuring 6-foot-4.75 with a 6-foot-10.25 wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine, Johnson is seen as a versatile guard capable of fitting into a variety of NBA lineups. His draft range is projected between the fourth and eighth picks, with teams such as the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, and Brooklyn Nets also in play. In a recent interview on 'The KOC Show,' Johnson expressed his willingness to adapt to any role his future team requires, whether as a primary ball-handler or a versatile shooter. 'I feel like it could go either way… whatever the team needs to win. It could also change night to night,' Johnson said. While Johnson's outside shooting is widely regarded as NBA-ready, he acknowledged that feedback from the NBA Combine emphasized finishing stronger at the rim. 'They want me to dunk more,' Johnson told O'Connor, adding that his athleticism was on display in Chicago and that he's focused on translating it into more aggressive finishes in games. Johnson's combination of scoring ability, adaptability, and work ethic has made him one of the most attractive prospects in this year's draft. He is expected to make his professional debut at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas next month, with Utah currently forecast as his likely landing spot.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where does Jeremiah Fears land in USA TODAY Sports' latest NBA Mock Draft?
With less than a week for early entrants of the NBA Draft to remove their names, a clearer picture has begun to arise as how things will shake out next month. In fact, it's almost exactly a month away. The draft is scheduled to take place June 25 and 26 plenty of intrigue remains as to who will go where. Well, outside the top three, anyway. Advertisement Former Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears put his name into the mix more than a month ago. He has been a staple inside the top 15 on just about every draft since. On Friday, USA TODAY Sports provided its latest mock draft, and Fears' chances of going in the lottery look awfully good. According to the mock draft, Fears is projected to go to the Washington Wizards with the No. 6 overall pick. "Solid start to his freshman season; quick on the dribble; has strength going to the rim and can finish; operates well in the pick-and-roll as a scorer and passer; needs to improve his 3-point shot but potential is there," wrote authors Jeff Zillget, Lorenezo Reyes and James H. Williams. That's similar to where Fears landed in mock draft earlier in the week. There, Fears was projected to go No. 5 to the Utah Jazz. In USA TODAY's, that spot belongs to Texas guard Tre Johnson. Advertisement The top four picks are the same in both mocks. Duke's Cooper Flagg is a unanimous No. 1 pick everywhere, followed by Rutgers' Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, then Baylor's VJ Edgecomb. Fears played one season at Oklahoma before turning professional. As an 18-year-old freshman who classed up one year to get a jump on his collegiate career, Fears averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in helping the Sooners to their first NCAA Tournament since 2019. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears projected to the Wizards in mock draft
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft order is set! Who will pick former Texas Longhorns wing Tre Johnson?
In one of the most dramatic NBA Draft Lotteries in history, the Dallas Mavericks won the No. 1 pick in next month's draft. Dallas had just a 1.8% chance of moving up from the 11th spot. The Mavs will most assuredly pick Duke's Cooper Flagg with the first pick. Where does that leave former Texas Longhorns wing Tre Johnson? Since Johnson declared he would enter the NBA Draft, the speculation has been the Garland, TX product would get picked around the 5th or 6th pick. That feeling hasn't changed after the NBA Combine. Advertisement For The Win projects Johnson getting picked No. 6 by the Washington Wizards. Analyst Bryan Kalbrosky says, "Johnson was named SEC Freshman of the Year because he is such a natural scorer whose passing is better than his assist stats might suggest. He is very difficult to stop in the open-court and led all freshmen in 3-pointers made in transition (21) and above the break (65) this season." ESPN's Jonathan Givony agrees with the Wizards being Johnson's landing spot, "Johnson is one of the draft's top scorers, capable of knocking down tough shots from all over the floor with a shoot-first mindset. He needs to round out several areas of his game -- finishing in the paint, playmaking for teammates and defensive consistency -- but NBA teams are drawn to his shooting, length and skill level." Bleacher Report also projects Johnson going in that 6th spot to Washington. NBA Analyst Zach Buckley says, "After loading up their defense in recent drafts, the Wizards are in desperate need for more offensive punch. Johnson could provide plenty. He's an ignitable scorer who can hit from anywhere and free himself in space. If he fine-tunes the floor general aspects of the lead guard spot, he could be a massive get for Washington." CBS Sports predicts Johnson will go No. 5 to the Utah Jazz. Analyst Kyle Boone writes, "Utah failed to win the No. 1 pick despite 14% odds — but landing at No. 5 gives it a chance to snag one of the five best prospects before a tier break. Johnson is a fine consolation to give the Jazz a young scoring guard who was a prolific shooter at Texas." Advertisement SB Nation has Johnson falling all the way to Toronto Raptors at No. 9. Writer Ricky O'Donnell explains, "Johnson isn't a mega athlete attacking the basket, and his passing vision is pretty basic to this point. He can be engaged at the point of attack defensively, but he's not a major defensive playmaker off the ball. Johnson will go as far as his jump shot takes him, and with one of the prettiest shooting strokes in this class, that's an enticing enough bet for a top-10 selection." SI is on the Wizards bandwagon. Writer Kevin Sweeney says, "The Wizards are another team that went to bed Monday likely heartbroken over the lottery results, but Johnson represents a solid consolation prize given his elite scoring upside. Johnson is wired to score, with legitimate three-level ability and an elite three-point stroke. He'd immediately inject life into this Washington offense as it likely gears up for another season of losing to make a run at the loaded top of the 2026 draft class." On3 forecasts Johnson's landing spot to be the Jazz at No. 5. Analyst James Fletcher III says, "The Utah Jazz again fall victim to bad lottery luck, falling the furthest distance possible down the board. Tre Johnson is an easy fit for a team lacking backcourt production across multiple years and a rotation which could use a go-to scorer." The 2025 NBA Draft starts Wednesday, June 25, 2025. This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: With NBA Draft order set, who will pick former Longhorn Tre Johnson?
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Draft expert raves about former Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson
With the NBA Draft quickly approaching, Tre Johnson has been a popular name. The former Longhorn was a human highlight reel during his freshman season and is seen as a future star. Due to his potential, he should be one of the first players to hear his name called on draft night. That was reflected in a recent mock draft by Athletic writer Sam Vecenie. He has Johnson coming off the board at No. 6 to the New Orleans Pelicans. Vecenie's prediction came after he saw Johnson in person a few weeks ago. Advertisement "I got to see Tre Johnson work out a couple of weeks ago," Vecenie said while live-streaming alongside Bryce Simon on May 6. "[He] was so, so impressive to me as a human being that came in a level of seriousness and a desire to get better. There was just this level of intensity about him where he went through this workout like 100 percent the whole way. You don't see that often." During the 2024-2025 campaign, Johnson averaged 19.9 points per game and scored 20 or more points 15 times. He was also solid from three-point range with a 39.7 shooting percentage. Although the Longhorn's season ended disappointingly, the talented guard was one of the team's bright spots. For teams needing immediate scoring, Johnson will be at the top of their lists. He can shoot from anywhere on the court and should continue to improve at the pro level. That characteristic has stood out to Vicenie when watching Johnson play. Advertisement "If you get him in an NBA scheme where he is running off of actions, taking jumpers, being able to use the threat of his gravity, I think he comes in and takes seven threes per game within the first two years of his career," Vecenie said. "He is that level (of a) shooter, in terms of being able to do it at volume." Over the next few weeks, buzz around Johnson will continue to grow as the basketball world gets closer to finding out where his NBA career will start. This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: NBA Draft expert raves about former Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New USA TODAY Sports 2025 NBA Mock Draft locks former Longhorn in as fifth pick
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery has been completed and the NBA Combine is over, most pre-draft information has been gathered on the 2025 NBA Draft class. We're starting to get a pretty clear picture of where former Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson is going to end up. In some mock drafts published right after the lottery, Johnson was mostly projected to go sixth to the Washington Wizards. A couple had him fifth to the Utah Jazz. One mock had him falling to the Toronto Raptors at ninth. Advertisement The decision will really come down to Utah. If the Jazz don't take Johnson at No. 5, he will likely be snatched up by Washington at No. 6. Now, USA TODAY Sports has added information from the NBA Combine for a more definitive 2025 NBA Mock Draft. They believe Johnson is too good for the Jazz to pass up. "Johnson is a natural shooter and scorer. He does well when scoring on the move and is a decent playmaker for his size. He still needs to work on his ability to make plays for others. He must also work on his strength and his explosiveness in order to assert himself as a finisher at the rim. He had three 30-point games in the past two months, including 39 against Arkansas on Feb. 26. He had 23 points and six rebounds in an NCAA Tournament loss to Xavier." - USA TODAY Sports Utah has been a perennial playoff team for most of the past decade. But this year, the 17-65 Jazz had the worst record in the NBA. The worst record gave the Jazz the best odds in the NBA Lottery, but luck wasn't on Utah's side, who slide down to the fifth pick. That "bad luck" might turn out alright if they do pick Johnson and he grows into an NBA star. Advertisement Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @LonghornsWire. This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: New USA TODAY Sports 2025 NBA Mock Draft send former Longhorn out west
