Eight days from now, Tre Johnson could become the first Texas Longhorn to be selected in the top five of the NBA Draft since Tristan Thompson in 2011.
Johnson is comfortably being projected as a top 10 pick, with his name expected to be selected between the fourth to eighth pick.
In an ESPN mock draft on Tuesday, NBA draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have Johnson going No. 5 to the Utah Jazz, citing his all-around scoring ability as the enticing factor for the Jazz front office. In a recent mock draft from CBS Sports, Johnson went as high as No. 3 overall to the Philadelphia 76ers.
As happens every year with draft night inching closer, storylines come out about prospects that cause alterations to their draft stock. Currently, the player that’s happening to is Ace Bailey, whose stock has dropped due to his predraft workout strategy, according to the ESPN mock draft.
Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the consensus players at picks No. 1 and 2. After that, Givony and Woo have VJ Edgecombe to the Philadelphia 76ers, Kon Knueppel to the Charlotte Hornets, Johnson to the Jazz and then Bailey to the Washington Wizards filling in picks No. 3 through 6.
The Rutgers forward’s potential slide could lead to various sequences in that mid-high lottery range, with trades also possibly playing a role. But for Johnson, who has been mainly mocked to the Jazz recently, the fit should be there whatever the destination ends up being.
On the KOC Show in May, Johnson was asked about where he thinks he’s suitable in the NBA — whether he sees himself more as the ball-handling engine of an offense or a shot-making asset that can switch into various roles on the court.
“I feel like it could go either way. … also be used as a two-way (player) more as I get into my career for sure. But either way — whatever the team needs to win. It could also change night to night,” Johnson said.
Johnson himself knows he has a capability to play both on and off the ball at a high level. That offensive versatility, combined with his elite shotmaking, is what makes him an exciting prospect. And, there is still room to improve.
In his top 100 draft big board article, Givony explains his belief that Johnson should go somewhere where he can “grow into significant offensive responsibility,” as it would maximize his upside to “evolve into a more polished and consistent playmaker.”
Woo has Johnson as the best movement shooter in his 2025 NBA draft superlatives, stating that the Texas alum “shouldn’t have to be a No. 1 scoring option to be valuable, which raises his floor considerably when projecting.”
What all of this comes together to say is that while his floor seems to be known, Johnson’s ceiling remains undiscovered. How he develops in his early years will be vital in shaping his career trajectory.
There is so much to look forward to for the Garland, Texas native, with the opening chapter of his NBA journey starting in the green room on June 25.
