Entering his rookie season, Tre Johnson was faced with high expectations after being selected No. 6 overall by the Washington Wizards.
The versatile guard was given early NBA Rookie of the Year projections following a huge freshman season at Texas, where he put his potential on full display averaging 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting an impressive 42.7% from field goal range and 39.7% from beyond the arc.
Johnson's elite shot-making ability made it seem that his fit in Washington would allow for a seamless transition to the NBA given a possibility of an immediate role in head coach Brian Keefe's system.
For Washington, the need for a player who could contribute at a high-level on the offensive end and could make any shot on the court would allow for him to be an immediate focal point of the team's offensive system.
In fact, many pinpointed the Wizards as the perfect landing spot for Johnson throughout the pre-draft process considering Washington would be a spot that allowed the young playmaker to play through growing pains.
Following an impressive run in Summer League with the Wizards, Johnson seem poised to prove those expectations to be true, especially after putting himself in elite company early, averaging 19.5 points putting his name alongside Wizards' legend John Wall.
However, his start to the regular season quickly saw a different direction following a stretch of inconsistencies that made it feel like Johnson's development would take longer to see his high-upside than originally expected.
Nonetheless, his recent stretch has quietly put those thoughts to rest after proving just how impactful he can be when given the opportunity.
Wizards are prioritizing Tre Johnson on offense
Over the last few weeks, Johnson has put together his best stretch of his young career finishing with double-digits in each of his last nine games, including a 24-point outing setting his career-high against the Phoenix Suns.
Johnson's recent involvement has come courtesy of the team's point of emphasis to get the guard the ball with an increase in scoring opportunities nearly every trip down the floor.
The rookie's ability to be involved in more actions has added confidence, which is exactly why he's put together his best performances of the season as of late.
With Johnson's confidence improving, he's getting closer to proving exactly why the Wizards believe he can be a pivotal piece to their rebuild moving forward.