Summer League gifts Wizards immediate confirmation new go-to scorer has arrived

The Washington Wizards entered the 2025 Summer League with ample reason for optimism. They'd successfully traded for respected locker room leaders, continued the development of a promising young core, and added key scoring threats to guide an otherwise well-rounded group.

If the early stages of Summer League have proven anything, it's that the Wizards can confidently proceed with belief in the latter development.

Tre Johnson made his Las Vegas Summer League debut on Friday, July. 11 in a 103-84 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Despite the team's defeat, Johnson only needed 28 minutes to stuff the stat sheet and prove that he has the tools to develop into a true go-to scoring threat.

Cam Whitmore should have every opportunity to become the Wizards' No. 1 scorer, but Johnson proved that he has the tools to go shot-for-shot with him as a dynamic duo.

Johnson finished the loss to the Suns with 18 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal. He shot 7-of-13 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 at the free-throw line in a balanced and downright exhilarating display.

Summer League success hardly guarantees NBA glory, but Johnson quickly reminded the skeptics of why he's regarded as one of the best players in his class.

Tre Johnson showed out in Las Vegas Summer League debut

The statistics are reason enough to be intrigued by what Johnson managed to do in his Las Vegas debut. The bigger picture, however, is the manner in which he played, with his full arsenal of scoring tools and instincts on display.

That includes his very first bucket, which he scored by attempting a floater and crashing his own miss to tap the ball back in for two points.

It was a simple enough play in theory, but the commitment to seeing a possession through until the very end epitomizes his appeal. It's not just that Johnson has a compelling skill set, but that he sees the game in an almost veteran-like manner.

He's also remarkably creative, as evidenced by his next shot being a viral bucket in which he brilliantly bounced the ball off of an opponent's leg to pick his dribble back up and finish inside.

Johnson's next two buckets were a catch-and-shoot three and an end-to-end in-traffic layup off of a turnover. If that wasn't flashy enough for viewers, he then broke his man down off the dribble, spun off of contact and immediately stepped back into an all-net midrange jump shot.

Johnson rounded his scoring efforts out with a pull-up three off of a high screen and a one-dribble triple in transition.

It was a firm display of his three-level scoring potential, as well as how uniquely refined his skill set is for a 19-year-old incoming rookie. He won't always be this efficient, but the fact that Washington has a player who can turn defense into offense, utilize screens to generate clean looks, finish in traffic, and convert from midrange should have fans on the edge of their seats.

Johnson isn't just a sharpshooting guard with the potential to put up points—he's the type of special talent who could become the Wizards' go-to scorer for years to come.