Wizards Recall Fan Favorite Guard from G-League

With the Washington Wizards dealing with a plethora of injuries to numerous key contributors, the front office has chosen to recall sophomore guard AJ Johnson in hopes of adding a little bit of depth. Johnson hasn’t seen much of any playing time this season with the Wizards, playing in 43 minutes all year.

The Washington Wizards have recalled G AJ Johnson from the @CapitalCityGoGo.
— Wizards PR (@WizPRStats) December 6, 2025

The 21-year-old was recently sent down to Washington’s G-League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, in order to get Johnson some in-game reps. In two games with the Go-Go, he averaged 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3 assists, showcasing the advanced skill set that made him so touted last season.

Concerns About Johnson

Despite his impressive play, a lot of the concerns revolving around his game still arose. Johnson is still a very skinny guy for NBA standards, along with him tending to play at too high of a pace, leading to some sloppy turnovers. Johnson will have to clean some things up before he's ready to make a true impact at the NBA level, but his skill set is definitely one to be intrigued with.

Johnson getting called up by no means guaranteed him a spot in the rotation, but it is probably a sign that an opportunity is looming. The Wizards have been far from competitive this season, reflected by their 3-18 record, creating conversations about who should be playing.

Head coach Brian Keefe has supported GM Will Dawkins’ notion that playing time should be earned rather than given. Now, with Washington plagued by injury, opportunities will arise for many different guys to earn their spot.

Apr 11, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (5) passed the ball around Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first quarter at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Eight Wizards have found themselves on the injury report prior to their Dec. 6 matchup versus the Atlanta Hawks, creating opportunities for some young guys to earn their spot. In Washington's previous matchup versus the Boston Celtics, rookies Jamir Watkins and Will Riley got extended runs, making an impact in the minutes they were on the floor. Now with even more Wizards sidelined, even more playing time has opened up.

Johnson has yet to see any real minutes for Washington this season, but this game could have created the perfect storm. Johnson has picked up a cult-like following amongst the Wizards fan base, who support him endlessly and consistently push for him to get a chance.

No guarantees have been made yet, but the stars are seemingly aligning for Johnson to get his first real chance to prove himself in the 2025–26 season.

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