NBA Draft: A Look at potential Hornets target Tre Johnson’s pro comparison

With their No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets find themselves at a crossroads. Do they aim for upside or play it safe with a polished prospect?

One prospect who offers a bit of both is Texas’ Tre Johnson. Johnson certainly has parts of his game that could be sharpened, but he already has an NBA-level offensive skill set.

Last season, the former five-star recruit and McDonald's All American was named the SEC’s Freshman of the Year while scoring 19.9 points and dishing out 2.7 assists per game. In his lone collegiate season, Johnson led the SEC in scoring and had the second-best three-point shooting percentage in the conference.

The true freshman established himself as one of the best players in college basketball right away, breaking Kevin Durant’s record for most points scored in a Longhorn debut (29 points).

In Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor’s two-round NBA mock draft, he projects that Johnson will be the No. 6 overall pick of the draft. In his projection, O’Connor compared Johnson to an NBA All-Star and former Sixth Man of the Year. Hornets on SI takes a look at the specific comparison and how a player with that skill set would fit in Charlotte.

Tyler Herro

This season, Herro finally had the opportunity to prove his full offensive capabilities after taking over as Miami’s leading playmaker following the departure of Jimmy Butler.

In his sixth season as a pro, the Kentucky product set career-highs in both scoring (23.9 ppg) and assists (5.5 apg). Herro has established himself as a three-level scorer, showcasing the ability to score from long range, hit the occasional floater, and also finish at the rim.

Similarly to Herro, Johnson relies on craftiness and timely changes of pace to generate space rather than primarily relying on explosive athleticism. Throughout his time at Texas, you’d be hard-pressed to find a spot on the floor that he seemed uncomfortable shooting from.

“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,” O’Connor said of Johnson.

Defensively, their similarities unfortunately persist. Herro is often Miami’s weak link defensively, and Johnson’s defensive lapses were highlighted throughout March Madness.

“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,” O’Connor said. “In the final minutes of Texas’ loss to Xavier during March Madness, Johnson took a hero-ball 3-pointer then failed to get back on defense before committing a horrific and-one foul. The moment epitomized his downside.”

In terms of fit, Charlotte could certainly use a reliable three-point shooter like Johnson. LaMelo Ball averaged a career-high in points this season (25.2), but surrounding him with capable scorers should take some weight off his shoulders and allow him to focus on playmaking. As a team in a rebuilding process, keeping a high/positive team morale is key.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

An honest assessment of Tidjane Salaün's rookie season with the Charlotte Hornets

Zion Williamson to the Hornets? Charlotte should have zero interest in oft-injured star

NBA Draft: A look at potential Hornets target Kon Knueppel’s pro comparison

How can the Hornets replicate the Indiana Pacers' success?