Tre Johnson entered his rookie season with high expectations after being selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Washington Wizards front office made it clear that they felt fortunate landing Johnson at No. 6 overall after being snubbed of a top five pick entirely in the NBA Draft Lottery last offseason.
Considering Washington's historic bad luck when it comes to the NBA Draft and their selections, it felt like Johnson had all the pressure in the world on him.
However, Johnson made it evident from the jump that no outside pressure would outweigh the amount he put on himself.
The Texas product has proven that he has an immense amount of self confidence and it's shown with his play on the court as a freshman in the SEC.
Johnson's confidence was evident throughout the entire NBA Combine, which is why many projected the elite shooter could be selected in the top three.
That confidence carried over into the Summer League, with the playmaker only adding to the hype surrounding his rookie season entering the league.
However, Johnson's Rookie of the Year expectations were quickly muted by the inconsistent struggles for the lottery pick to start the regular season in Washington.
Then again, considering the rest of the struggles for the Wizards roster, Johnson's underwhelming start was the least of the team's issues.
Fortunately, all signs suggest that both Johnson and the Wizards may finally be trending in the right direction and based on the rookie's recent stretch, he's become a major reason as to why.
Tre Johnson's confidence speaks volumes
Johnson has put together his most impressive stretch since arriving in Washington over the last few games for the Wizards.
Fresh off a career night against the Phoenix Suns, Johnson put his 24-point outing into perspective proving exactly why his five threes doesn't come as a surprise.
"If I can see the rim and I can get it there, I’ll shoot it," Johnson said postgame.
The short quote from Johnson proves just how confident he is in himself and his abilities, which is exactly why Washington felt comfortable taking a swing on the guard's upside at No. 6 overall.
It was clear entering the season that there would likely be some growing pains for the Texas native, but his work ethic and raw talent mixed with his confidence to never waver when the going gets tough is why the Wizards and other teams were so high on Johnson as a prospect.
Now, he's beginning to prove Washington right and in a major way.