Inside The Wizards

Wizards' Tre Johnson Aims to Improve Key Stat

Tre Johnson has already set a difficult challenge for himself in his rookie season with the Washington Wizards.
Feb 11, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Feb 11, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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Fans are buzzing with excitement when it comes to Tre Johnson. The Washington Wizards are not going to be contenders by any means this season. However, it will still be an exciting season. Johnson is currently one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year, according to DraftKings, with the fourth-best odds at +1000. Offensively, the rookie already looks great, but he still wants to improve a specific part of his game.

Johnson specifically told the media that his goal is to be a 90 percent free-throw shooter. When asked to elaborate, he said it is because he never shot 90 percent or better from the charity stripe in his entire career. He has been close, shooting 87.1 percent from the line at Texas. It was awfully close, but close only counts in a game of horseshoes.

This should not be a tall or daunting task for the sixth overall pick. Johnson went into the 2025 NBA Draft as arguably the best offensive player in the draft. He averaged 19.9 points per game in the SEC as a freshman, all at only 18 years old. Cooper Flagg got all the attention for the draft, as he is a generational talent who can do it all. When it comes to offense, though, Johnson has the edge.

He is a natural scorer, as the guard can get to any spot on the court that he wants. Johnson is also taller for a guard, standing at six feet five inches tall. The best part about his size is that he is still growing and could reach six feet seven inches. Johnson is also a creative mind on offense, often using his opponent's body to get a bucket. In Summer League, we saw this when he threw the ball off of Khaman Maluach to create separation and get an easy layup.

Tre Johnson celebrating after hitting a clutch three point shot
Mar 19, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) reacts to a play in the second half against the Xavier Musketeers at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Regarding his free-throw numbers, he should be able to get to the line. As previously mentioned, Johnson is great at using his opponent's body to draw contact or create separation. He is also great at driving down the lane, which should yield him at least 4 attempts per game. The shot looks beautiful as well, so he should have no problem reaching 90 percent from the line. Then again, if Johnson goes under and shoots 88 percent, it is not the end of the world.

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Bryson Akins
BRYSON AKINS

Bryson Akins is a writer for the Wizards on Sports Illustrated. Akins graduated from Emerson College in the spring of 2025, the same school Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins attended. Some of Akins' past work includes covering the Thunder on Last Word on Sports, along with his YouTube channel "Thunder Digest." Bryson's favorite memory watching the Wizards are the hard screens center Marcin Gortat would set.