As a top 10 draft pick, it doesn't come as a surpise to see Tre Johnson deal with a lot of critics through the start of his season.
The reigning No. 6 overall pick entered the year with high expectations and seemingly the perfect situation for him to showcase why he was not only projected to be a Rookie of the Year candidate, but argued to be the most complete scorer in the entire 2025 NBA Draft class.
There's no denying that the Texas product is talented and his potential to develop into one of the most dynamic scorers in the league in the right developmental situation.
However, for a team like the Wizards, who had an abundance of needs entering this past offseason's NBA Draft, the selection of Johnson continues to draw conversation as his struggles up to this point of his rookie campaign persists.
Averaging 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1,3 assists, while shooting 43.6% from field goal range and 38% from three, Johnson has shown flashes of the reason the team selected him so high.
At the same time though, the 19-year-old has also shown the areas of his game that can be determined as his biggest weaknesses and why he's not ready to be the guy for the team just yet.
Regardless, the tough questions about the Wizards selection of Johnson have less to do with his play and more to do with the play of prospects the team opted to pass on in order to select the Texas product.
A few players that come to mind? Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen and Cedric Coward.
Jeremiah Fears has looked like a stud throughout his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2,7 assists. The guard has shown flashes of his versatile scoring ability, and he's showcases his facilitating ability on multiple occassions, even if the stat sheet doesn't show it.
In addition to Fears, his rookie running mate in Derik Queen is another name Washington passed up on in favor of Johnson.
Queen is averaging 11.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists off the bench for the Pelicans to start the season, but throughout his start to the year, he's shown legitmate potential to be a dynamic big man moving forward.
Coming off monster outing against the Denver Nuggets, where the Maryand product finished with 30 points, 9 rebounds and four assists, Wizards fans immediately began to question why the team passed on the possibility to pair Queen and Alex Sarr in the frontcourt for years to come.
Cedric Coward on the other hand is a bit of a curveball prospect considering he entered the cycle late with an injury history as an older prospect.
The Washington State alum surprised as a lottery pick, but so far through his rookie season averaging 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2,9 assists, the guard has validated the Grizzlies decision to swing on his potential.
Johnson has a high ceiling and there's still plenty of time to reach it, but until he does, fans are going to continue wondering what could have been if the franchise went another direction.