It would appear that the key to being an NBA draft pick isn’t just size, talent and hard work.
No, you also might need a hater for a father.
In 2019, Memphis Grizzlies pick Ja Morant said his dad, Tee, was his “first hater.” On Wednesday night, Washington Wizards first-round pick Tre Johnson said in jest that his dad, Richard Johnson II, was also his first detractor.
“I feel like I have surpassed my father being my worst critic. But before it was me, it was most definitely him for sure,” the former Texas guard told reporters after the Wizards chose him with the sixth pick of the 2025 NBA draft in New York. “Now I think as much as I’ve heard his voice in the gym by myself, it’s kind of in the back of my head no matter where I go.
“So, most definitely, he’s been holding me accountable. But as I’ve gotten older, it has most definitely been myself. And yeah, most guys don’t want to critique [themselves], but I feel like to become better you’ve got to be honest with yourself.”
Tre Johnson (right) celebrates with his dad, Richard Johnson II, after he was selected sixth overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2025 NBA draft’s first round on June 25 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Johnson, 19, used prolific scoring at Texas last season to propel himself into an NBA lottery pick. He will join a young and rebuilding Washington Wizards franchise that needed someone with his skill set.
At 6-foot-6 and with a 6-10 wingspan, Johnson is a gifted shooter and scorer. He had the fourth-best 3-point shooting percentage (39.7%) in the SEC last season and made 89 3-pointers in 33 games.
As a freshman, Johnson led the SEC in scoring with 19.9 points per game on 42.7% shooting. In February, he broke Kevin Durant’s Texas freshman single-game scoring record with 39 points (7-of-11 on 3-pointers) against Arkansas. A month earlier, Johnson scored 30 points (4-of-10 on 3-pointers) in a Texas win over Texas A&M. After the game, Durant christened Johnson “heem” — or, him.
“I think, pound for pound, if he’s not the best shooter he’s one of the best shooters in the draft,” said Wizards general manager Will Dawkins. “But that’s not his only skill.”
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Though he averaged just 2.7 assists last season, Johnson finds open teammates when given the opportunity, and he and seems comfortable coming off screens to either shoot or pass. He’s still figuring out how to score efficiently inside the arc, where he shot 44.9%.
Johnson has been consistently knocked in scouting reports for his lack of defensive intensity. But the SEC Freshman of the Year told reporters that he’s striving to shed that reputation. Johnson said that during the draft process he watched film with Dawkins and was shown his lack of effort on defense.
“He showed me clips where I used to take plays off, and most definitely that’s not the player I want to be, especially in the NBA,” he said.
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Johnson is joining a Wizards franchise that is in transition. Since the 2017-18 season, Washington has had the NBA’s second-worst record (194-360), including the second-worst record in the league last season (18-64). The Wizards shot 33.5% from 3-point range last season, the second-lowest mark in the league.
But things appear promising. Frenchmen Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, at the very least, project to become NBA All-Defensive team members. Veterans Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart and newly acquired CJ McCollum provide leadership. And Capital One Arena, the team’s home since 1997, is undergoing an $800 million renovation.
Johnson said he appreciates the team’s culture, from the players to the front office.
“It felt more like a college visit … like a family,” he said of visiting the team for workouts.
Johnson said he will take a glass-half-full approach toward the hardships the team expects in the short term.
“It is going to be a long rebuild, but it’s also being present in the moment, taking it one game at a time, not looking forward or not getting stuck … in a loss, but just keep pounding stone and carrying water,” Johnson said.
But back to his former toughest critic: Johnson, who was born Richard Earl Johnson III, credits his father with instilling in him the work ethic and mental toughness necessary to play high-level basketball. Tre Johnson even wore No. 20 at Texas to honor his dad, who wore that number at Baylor and Midwestern State from 1995-1999.
Tre Johnson, who was joined by his dad for an interview with ESPN’s Monica McNutt immediately after he was drafted Wednesday, later told reporters how proud he was to share this moment with his father.
“It feels like we both got drafted today,” he said.
Martenzie Johnson is a senior writer for Andscape. His favorite cinematic moment is when Django said, "Y'all want to see somethin?"