<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/how-wizards-blowout-hawks-gives-blueprint-tre-johnson');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Wizards’ blowout win vs. Hawks gives blueprint sans Tre Johnson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/How-Wizards-blowout-win-vs.-Hawks-gives-blueprint-sans-Tre-Johnson.jpg"></figure><h1>How Wizards’ blowout win vs. Hawks gives blueprint sans Tre Johnson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-26T19:29:02-08:00">November 26th, 7:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-27T09:18:45-08:00">November 27th, 9:18am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards didn’t just win without two of their core pieces <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-cj-mccollums-immediate-reaction-to-wild-40-point-night-vs-hawks">against the Atlanta Hawks</a> on Tuesday night, but they had their most dominant performance in almost two years. Their 132-113 win was their highest margin of victory (+19) since Jan. 13, 2024, when they beat the Hawks 127-99 on the road.</p><p>Both No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson (hip) and second-year wing Kyshawn George (illness) missed the contest, which makes the Wizards’ performance even more impressive. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-washington-kyshawn-george-historic-outing-bulls">George is third on the team</a> with 16.5 points per game this season while leading in assists (4.9) and steals (1.1), and Johnson is fourth with 11.5 points.</p><p>Washington thrived thanks not only to quality individual performances, but team-oriented basketball. The squad totaled 30 assists, and five different players had two-plus dimes. Veteran forward Khris Middleton led with 12, while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-cj-mccollum-bub-carrington-hawks">second-year guard Bub Carrington</a> had six off the bench. Veteran guard CJ McCollum and third-year guard Bilal Coulibaly each added four as well, and head coach Brian Keefe <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1993532425876746683" rel="noopener">shouted out the latter player</a> in his postgame presser.</p><p>“Yeah, you obviously see some explosiveness,” he told ClutchPoints when asked about the 21-year-old’s offensive impact. “I thought early in the game, he was the one who got downhill and got into the paint that led to some of the spray outs. You know, he’s still getting used to playing with that starting lineup. He’s only played four or five games with that group. But we’re starting to see him be able to initiate, play with pace, because he can cause havoc with his speed. I thought we saw that really early in the game, and that’s how we got a lot of our threes early was that penetration.”</p><h2><b>Wizards’ young core can shine if utilized properly</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Wizards-Bub-Carrington_0d312b.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Coulibaly has balanced his dunking prowess with passing acumen in the nine games he’s played this season. The 6-foot-7, 195-pounder has <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2026_shooting.html" rel="noopener">12 dunks (1.3 per game),</a> and 23.5 percent of his field-goal attempts are dunks thus far, per Basketball Reference. It’s easy to see why when <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1993478201763410420" rel="noopener">he produces highlights</a> like this:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">🗣️ BILAL! 🗣️ COULIBALY! <a href="https://t.co/xrjtvZOCMC">pic.twitter.com/xrjtvZOCMC</a></p><p>— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1993478201763410420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Meanwhile, Coulibaly has also notched four assists in five different contests this season, which is a product of him getting downhill and kicking out to open shooters. For example, the French international assisted on three three-point shots made in the first quarter on Tuesday, as Keefe alluded to.</p><p>On the other hand, Coulibaly’s still a weak three-point shooter, as he’s shooting 27.6 percent from deep this season and 30.8 percent in his career. The two-time Rising Star is also a limited dribbler, relying on his crossover and quick first step to blow by defenders. Luckily, he doesn’t need handles like Allen Iverson to be effective for Washington. For now, he can focus on defense and rim penetration while gradually improving those other areas.</p><p>That same logic applies to the Wizards’ other young players. For example, Carrington had one of his best games of the season by shooting and passing out of the midrange and perimeter, which are his biggest strengths. Additionally, second-year center Alex Sarr continued his new habit of using his seven-foot, 205-pound frame to dominate in the paint offensively. The 20-year-old notched 27 points (11-15 FG, 1-2 3-point) with 11 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals over 38 minutes. He now has seven 20-plus point games in 15 outings this season after having 10 in 67 appearances last year.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/why-alex-sarr-wizards-fans-excitement-kyshawn-george-2">George can contribute</a> in every facet of the game, so he’ll be another asset when he returns. That could be as soon as Friday night’s road date with the Indiana Pacers, who have the NBA’s worst record at 2-16. The Wizards are a half-game ahead at 2-15.</p><p>Conversely, Johnson will be out for a <a href="https://x.com/chasedcsports/status/1993016569195380869" rel="noopener">minimum of two weeks</a>, per Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes. However, if Washington’s coaching staff keeps utilizing its other young players’ strengths while relying on steady production from veterans like McCollum (46 points on Tuesday), Middleton, and guard Corey Kispert (39 points over the last two games), the squad has a chance to be competitive on most nights.</p><p><b>UPDATE: </b>Kispert is out indefinitely <a href="https://x.com/brettsiegelnba/status/1994075698940518467?s=46" rel="noopener">with a fractured thumb</a>, per ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.</p><p>The Wizards, who need to finish within the bottom four slots of the NBA standings to guarantee they’ll keep their top-eight protected lottery pick next summer, aren’t focused on winning yet. But their young core will develop faster by not getting blown out constantly, as being in closer games will keep it more engaged.</p><p>Washington has already lost by 15-plus points nine times, and it’s clear that Tuesday’s result won’t be the norm. The goal should be to have more games like its 121-120 defeat to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, and winning a handful of those would help the group’s confidence.</p><p>After their NBA Cup contest agains the Pacers on Friday, the Wizards will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday before playing the Philadelphia 76ers on the road on Tuesday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Wizards’ blowout win vs. Hawks gives blueprint sans Tre Johnson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-jason-kidd-1st-impression-tre-johnson-2');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jason Kidd reveals 1st impression of Wizards’ Tre Johnson amid hot shooting start');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jason-Kidd-reveals-1st-impression-of-Tre-Johnson-amid-hot-shooting-start.jpg"></figure><h1>Jason Kidd reveals 1st impression of Wizards’ Tre Johnson amid hot shooting start</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-11T14:19:05-08:00">November 11th, 2:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-11T20:47:21-08:00">November 11th, 8:47pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>WASHINGTON, D.C. – Washington Wizards fans dreamed of getting Duke University superstar Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for months, but the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/mavericks-news-win-cooper-flagg-sweepstakes-2025-nba-draft-lottery">Dallas Mavericks won May’s NBA Draft Lottery</a> instead despite having 12.2 percent worse odds. The Wizards received the No. 6 pick, which was the lowest they could’ve gotten as the second-worst-ranked team in the sport last season. However, they still landed <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-tre-johnson-washington-rebuilding-puzzle">University of Texas guard Tre Johnson</a>, who is hardly a consolation prize.</p><p>Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1987297811235295565" rel="noopener">praised the 19-year-old</a> before his team’s 111-105 win over the Wizards on Saturday.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I asked Jason Kidd what’s his first impression of Tre Johnson:</p><p>“He’s playing well. You can see his confidence is growing. When you’re a young player in this league, you’ve got to be around positive [examples]…CJ and Middleton are helping these young players.” <a href="https://t.co/kj0gQA6PK8">pic.twitter.com/kj0gQA6PK8</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1987297811235295565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“He’s playing well. You can see his confidence is growing,” the Hall of Famer said. “When you’re a young player in this league, you’ve got to be around positive [examples] … CJ [McCollum] and [Khris] Middleton are helping these young players.”</p><p>Indeed, Johnson has wasted no time asserting himself. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder is third among rookies with <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PerMode=PerGame&amp;PlayerExperience=Rookie&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=FG3A" rel="noopener">5.1 three-point attempts per game</a> and fourth among rookies with at least three average attempts in three-point field goal percentage (37.5), per NBA.com. Meanwhile, Flagg is making 26.2 percent of his 3.8 attempts.</p><p>That doesn’t mean Johnson is better than Flagg, especially since he’s primarily a jumpshooter while the latter player is a three-level scorer. But it shows that Washington fans have plenty to be excited about, as their newest lottery pick is shining just 11 games into his career.</p><p>Kidd isn’t the only prominent NBA figure to notice Johnson’s prowess. Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse <a href="https://x.com/bijan_todd/status/1983303673930494347" rel="noopener">called the 2025</a> SEC Freshman of the Year “very good” and someone who has “a scoring knack in a lot of ways” before his team’s 139-134 overtime victory over the Wizards on Oct. 28, via Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd. Flagg, who interacted with Johnson and the rest of his peers in this rookie class during the pre-draft process, <a href="https://x.com/bijan_todd/status/1987370996156813451" rel="noopener">had similar comments</a> after Saturday’s game, via Todd.</p><p>Players and coaches are typically diplomatic when asked to describe opponents and teammates in interviews, but each quote can reveal a different truth. For example, Kidd pointed to Johnson’s confidence, which is aided by the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/cj-mccollum-wizards-culture-standard-young-core">veteran leadership of McCollum</a> and Middleton. Nurse also mentioned the Texas native’s scoring talent, which the 76ers noticed before ultimately drafting <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-vj-edgecombe-emotional-draft-reaction-no-electricity-revelation">Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe No. 3 overall</a>. Finally, Flagg admitted that he’s not close with Johnson, but he “definitely” knows him and is happy to see him prosper in the nation’s capital.</p><p>The two top-six picks may not be best friends yet, but they have common ground. Each of them is expected to help improve losing teams, as Dallas is 3-8 while Washington is 1-10. The difference is that the Wizards were supposed to be at the bottom of the standings again to keep their top-eight protected lottery pick next summer, while former Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison <a href="https://x.com/TheHoopFather/status/1914382371975258329" rel="noopener">claimed that his team</a> would “compete for a championship” in 2025-26 during an April press conference, via Locked On Mavericks’ Isaac Harris. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-news-nico-harrison-getting-fired">Harrison was subsequently fired</a> on Tuesday as the organization reels from the fallout of February’s Luka Doncic trade.</p><p>Regardless, it reflects well on Johnson that several opposing players and coaches who are asked about him give different compliments, and it’ll help to be part of a team that has a clear rebuilding vision rather than one in turmoil.</p><h2><b>Alex Sarr describes Tre Johnson’s importance</b></h2><p>Naturally, Johnson’s teammates appreciate him too. Second-year Washington center Alex Sarr explained the sharpshooter’s <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1987368607983059416" rel="noopener">importance to the offense</a> after Saturday’s loss.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Alex Sarr on how Tre Johnson helps the Wizards’ offense:</p><p>“Being aggressive. Being a very good shooter, he pulls the defense. He can make plays for others, puts the ball on the floor. He brings a lot of playmaking.”</p><p>Tre is shooting 39.6% from deep so far this season. <a href="https://t.co/7kzHH7IXUw">pic.twitter.com/7kzHH7IXUw</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1987368607983059416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Being aggressive. Being a very good shooter, he pulls the defense,” the 2025 first-team All-Rookie honoree said. “He can make plays for others, puts the ball on the floor. He brings a lot of playmaking.”</p><p>The Wizards aren’t outclassing the rest of the NBA offensively, but adding Johnson has helped them make a jump. For example, they rank 23rd with 113.6 points per game after finishing 27th with 108 last season, and they rank 21st with a 53.3 effective field goal percentage after ranking 28th with a 51.2 percent clip. They are also 24th with a 56.2 true shooting percentage after finishing 29th with a 54.6 percent clip.</p><p>Those improvements are also due to other factors, like <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/why-alex-sarr-wizards-fans-excitement-kyshawn-george-2">Sarr and second-year wing Kyshawn George</a> both developing into reliable scorers as they gain experience. At the same time, those things go hand in hand. Johnson’s presence commands defensive attention and spaces the floor, making it easier for his teammates to score.</p><p>The next step for the former McDonald’s All-American is to have a 25-plus-point game to show the NBA world that he can score just as well as any of his fellow rookies on a given night. Flagg, Edgecombe, and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel have all done it, so now it’s time for him to make a statement.</p><p>Johnson’s next chances to do so will be an away matchup against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and a home date with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jason Kidd reveals 1st impression of Wizards’ Tre Johnson amid hot shooting start

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-washington-tre-johnson-1-goal-rookie-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Washingtons-Tre-Johnson-names-1-bold-goal-for-rookie-season.jpg"><figcaption>Tre Johnson smiles while holding basketball in Wizards jersey</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-10T20:57:02-07:00">October 10th, 8:57pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-11T09:24:11-07:00">October 11th, 9:24am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards open their preseason slate against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, which will be their latest showcase of a potential future star.</p><p>Rookie guard Tre Johnson, whom the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-tre-johnson-washington-rebuilding-puzzle">Wizards picked No. 6 overall</a> in June’s draft, will play his first game since Summer League. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-basketball/texas-basketball-news-tre-johnson-kevin-durant-longhorns-record">University of Texas product</a> is coming off a SEC Freshman of the Year campaign, but his mind is now on his first NBA season.</p><p>Johnson has his sights set on <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975623303848206788" rel="noopener">one statistical goal</a>.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tre Johnson told me that his statistical goal this season is to shoot 90 percent from the free-throw line. He then said to <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bijan_todd</a> that’s because he didn’t do it in college, and he should’ve done it his whole life. <a href="https://t.co/KiqB0TdsI7">pic.twitter.com/KiqB0TdsI7</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975623303848206788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“I just want to shoot 90 percent from the free-throw line,” he revealed after Tuesday’s practice.</p><p>When asked why that’s his focus, he said “‘Cause I didn’t do it in college. I was doing it my whole life, but I got away from it in college.”</p><p>Indeed, Johnson shot 87.1 percent from the charity stripe as a freshman with the Longhorns last season after posting a 90.5 percent clip as a senior at Link Academy High School in Branson, Missouri. The 19-year-old is only two years removed from hitting 90-plus percent, but he’ll join rare air if he does so as an NBA rookie.</p><p>Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer Ernie DiGregorio (90.2 percent) is the <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/which-rookie-has-the-highest-free-throw-percentage-in-a-season" rel="noopener">only rookie in league history</a> to hit that benchmark (min. 125 free throws made per 82 team games), which he did for the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) in the 1973-74 campaign, via StatMuse. Collegiate and Pro (Naismith Memorial Basketball) Hall of Famer Chris Mullin is second-best at 89.6 percent for the Golden State Warriors in 1985-86.</p><p>While reaching that goal would be a notable achievement for Johnson, the priority is to get to the line. The Texas native <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/stats/player/_/group/23/table/offensive/sort/avgFreeThrowsAttempted/dir/desc" rel="noopener">ranked 21st in the SEC</a> with 4.2 free-throw attempts per game last season, behind peers such as Jeremiah Fears (fourth, 6.3) and Collin Murray-Boyles (fifth, 5.9), per ESPN. The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Fears No. 7 overall out of Oklahoma, and the Raptors took Murray-Boyles No. 9 out of South Carolina.</p><p>Johnson also ranked seventh in free-throw percentage and first in points (19.9), so he was still elite in other ways. But making 90 percent of his free throws while also finishing top-10 among rookies in average attempts would show that he’s improved both his rim pressure and free-throw efficiency since his collegiate campaign.</p><p>That journey starts on Sunday. While Johnson’s preseason stats won’t count toward the regular season, showing his charity stripe acumen right away would be a positive step.</p><h2><b>CJ McCollum names 1 thing Wizards are elite at</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-CJ-McCollum_19620d.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Fellow guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-wizards-cj-mccollum-jordan-poole-trade">CJ McCollum, who Washington officially acquired</a> from the New Orleans Pelicans on July 6 for a package including guard Jordan Poole and wing Saddiq Bey, is at the other end of his career. The 13th-year veteran is on an expiring contract and likely isn’t part of the team’s future, but he brings experience to the NBA’s <a href="https://bookies.com/news/youngest-and-oldest-nba-teams-2025-26-average-age-for-all-nba-teams" rel="noopener">second-youngest squad</a>, per Bookies.com.</p><p>McCollum, who has averaged at least 20 points per game in 10 consecutive seasons, will be a safety valve for the Wizards’ offense. At the same time, the former Most Improved Player is already providing a perspective about the organization that fans can feel good about.</p><p>McCollum <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975633322928980403" rel="noopener">offered his first impressions</a> of it since arriving over the summer after Tuesday’s practice.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ McCollum told me that the Wizards are one of the most “organized organizations” he’s been a part of. He mentioned their variety of resources and how they care about every player on the roster, not just the top guys. <a href="https://t.co/wlevv9WHJk">pic.twitter.com/wlevv9WHJk</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975633322928980403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“They’ve been great in terms of communication, organization, structure. They’re probably one of the most organized organizations I’ve been a part of in terms of the cadence and communication, how the team works, everything they use, the resources they have,” he said. “The staff is here all day. They’re here from 7 a.m. till like 3 [p.m.], which is crazy.”</p><p>“Food is great, nutritionists. I did blood work early. I got my vitamins, I got everything that I need,” he continued. “All the resources that you need to be successful are here, and they care. I think that’s a really important factor, there’s a huge care factor. Not just with rotation guys and guys that make a lot of money, but they care about the two-ways, exhibit-10 guys. You can see it in how they’re treated.”</p><p>The latter point is evidenced by forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-sign-breakout-justin-champagnie-10-million-contract-extension">Justin Champagnie, who Washington signed</a> to a four-year $9.8 million deal in March after inking him to a two-way contract in 2024. The 24-year-old had a breakout season highlighted by his 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in December. The club then rewarded him with a long-term commitment a month before the end of the campaign, showing the current regime’s proactiveness.</p><p>McCollum also revealed whether his experience differs from what he’s heard in the past.</p><p>“In years past, yes,” the former Portland Trail Blazer admitted. “But in terms of what I’ve been hearing over the last few years, it’s been pretty consistent. Obviously I know a lot of the guys that were here, and they echoed a lot of the same things that I’m discussing now.”</p><p>That’s a testament to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/clippers-news-gm-michael-winger-leaving-kawhi-leonard-paul-george-la-for-wizards">Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger</a> and Wizards general manager Will Dawkins, who took over in the spring of 2023. They haven’t yet built a contender in Washington, but their leadership is changing the organization’s perception around the league.</p><p>Once the Wizards stack enough front-office wins, like landing elite collegiate scorers and signing breakout two-way players, the results will show in the standings. The key is that they’re on the right path after years of losing records with a veteran core under the previous regime.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/how-kevin-durant-influenced-tre-johnson-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Kevin Durant influenced Tre Johnson’s game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-news-Washingtons-Tre-Johnson-makes-Kevin-Durant-admission.jpg"><figcaption>October 1, 2025</figcaption></figure><h1>How Kevin Durant influenced Tre Johnson’s game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-01T19:06:48-07:00">October 1st, 7:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-02T13:21:07-07:00">October 2nd, 1:21pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-carmelo-anthony-kevin-durant-washington">Wizards have yet to acquire D.C.-area native Kevin Durant</a> since he got drafted in 2007, but they did get a shooter inspired by him.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-tre-johnson-washington-rebuilding-puzzle">Wizards drafted Texas guard Tre Johnson</a> No. 6 overall in June, who played for the same college as the 15-time NBA All-Star. Johnson told ClutchPoints on Monday’s Media Day <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1972731993483055417" rel="noopener">what he learned</a> from watching him play over the years.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tre Johnson told me that Kevin Durant influenced his game the most growing up. Watching KD helped him learn how to use his size and shoot over players.</p><p>Tre also mentioned that he’s impressed with how detailed Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr are about their craft. <a href="https://t.co/gv9abhhIdi">pic.twitter.com/gv9abhhIdi</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1972731993483055417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Growing up, I kind of just watched Kevin Durant,” he revealed. “I was taller than everybody, thinking I was gonna be as tall as he was. I learned at a young age how to use my size, shoot over players. It’s not the best thing, but…”</p><p>It’s not as easy for the 6-foot-6 Johnson to shoot over defenders as it is for the 6-foot-11 Durant, but both of their games center around elite jumpshooting and contested shot-making. For example, Johnson led all freshmen in scoring last season, just as Durant did in the 2006-07 campaign.</p><p>Former Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry, who <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/tre-johnson" rel="noopener">coached both players</a>, also sees the similarities, via NBA.com.</p><p>“I got a chance to coach Kevin Durant for one year at Texas, and [Johnson] and Kevin have a lot of things that kind of come from the same cloth, in terms of incredible work ethic,” he said. “A guy that we have to literally push him out of the gym. … You put the scoreboard on, and he’s competing at another level.”</p><p>That work ethic yielded results for both players at the collegiate level. Durant was the consensus National Player of the Year after averaging 25.8 points on 47.3 percent shooting (40.4 percent 3-point) with 11.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 35.9 minutes, while Johnson earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors after averaging 19.9 points on 42.7 percent shooting (39.7 percent 3-point) with 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 34.7 minutes.</p><p>Those numbers highlight their size and positional differences, as the forward rebounded more while the guard was a better facilitator. However, they were similarly effective from the three-point line, which is something the Wizards need help with.</p><p>Washington was second-to-last in the NBA with a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-general?Season=2024-25&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=FG3_PCT" rel="noopener">33.5 percent clip</a> from downtown in 2024-25, via NBA.com. Johnson won’t fix that by himself, but getting a player who Terry compared to Durant will likely help.</p><h2><b>Tre Johnson, Kevin Durant are all about hoops</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-Tre-Johnson-2.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>On-court play style isn’t the only commonality between Johnson and Durant. Like many successful players, they are also obsessed with the game of basketball.</p><p>Johnson admitted that he <a href="https://twitter.com/chasedcsports/status/1938227546702647761" rel="noopener">doesn’t have other hobbies</a> at the NBA Draft Combine in May, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">New Wizards guard Tre Johnson explained at the draft combine in May how he essentially has zero off-court interests or hobbies. He’s all hoop. <a href="https://t.co/lmpX7XpufB">pic.twitter.com/lmpX7XpufB</a></p><p>— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/chasedcsports/status/1938227546702647761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Everything I do is basketball-related. I just got a book, so I’m trying to expand a little bit into reading,” the Texas native said. “But everything is basketball-related unless I’m listening to music, on the phone with friends, or sleeping. That’s about it.”</p><p>Durant described a similar dedication when discussing his mindset after <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40016845/you-fake-fire-fueled-kevin-durant-incredible-return-game" rel="noopener">tearing his Achillies tendon</a> in the 2018-19 NBA Finals, via ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.</p><p>“My whole <i>being</i> has been committed to playing basketball…And when I’m that committed to something, I didn’t even think about anything else but, like, when are we starting recovery?” the two-time Finals MVP said. “As soon as it happened, everybody wanted to cry with me. I did that for a second, crying, because everybody else was crying, and then I’m like, ‘When are we doing surgery? When can I start my recovery process?’ And that’s how it was, man. I’m ready to get back, quick.”</p><p>Durant does have hobbies, as he showed <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/kevin-durant-super-bowl-50-photography" rel="noopener">when he took pictures</a> as a credentialed photographer at Super Bowl 50, via The Players’ Tribune. However, the 37-year-old lives and breathes basketball rather than seeing it as a job he’s good at, similar to Johnson.</p><p>Sharing qualities with Durant doesn’t guarantee success in the NBA for the rookie, but it doesn’t hurt. Afer all, Durant is one of the greatest players of all time, and Washington hasn’t had a star since John Wall in the 2010s.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-biggest-tre-johnson-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">Johnson showed promising signs in Summer League</a>, scoring 39 points (14-25 FG, 5-11 3 PT) over two games before sustaining a hamstring injury that ended his campaign. The 19-year-old’s 19.5-point average <a href="https://www.nba.com/wizards/news/summer-league-takeaways-johnson-iii-george-stood-out" rel="noopener">was the second-highest</a> for a Wizards player in Summer League history behind Wall (23.5 points) in 2010, via Hughes.</p><p>The next step for Johnson is to sustain that production over a longer time period. The former second-team All-SEC selection’s next chance to do so will be during the Wizards’ three-game preseason slate, which starts on Oct. 12 against the Toronto Raptors.</p><p>Johnson will be used heavily on a rebuilding Washington team that is focused on developing young talent. The organization displayed that mentality last season, as Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr, and Kyshawn George finished first, third and <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PlayerExperience=Rookie&amp;Season=2024-25&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=MIN" rel="noopener">sixth among rookies</a> in minutes per game, via NBA.com.</p><p>Similar to those players, Johnson will also get reps without being under pressure for immediate results. There will be a learning curve as he adjusts to the best league in the world, but he’s already shown glimpses of why he was the No. 6 overall pick.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
11.5	3.0	1.3	0.5	0.4

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
11.5	3.0	1.3	0.5	0.4

Tre Johnson

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Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season

How Kevin Durant influenced Tre Johnson’s game

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