Wizards’ Tre Johnson breaks rookie franchise record in thrilling win vs. Bucks

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The Washington Wizards are not only playing with joy, but rookie sharpshooter Tre Johnson made history just over two months into his first season. The 2025 No. 6 overall pick made a franchise-rookie-record nine straight three-pointers between Monday’s 115-101 loss to the Phoenix Suns and Wednesday’s 114-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, per the team’s social media.

Johnson’s streak beat fellow guard Kelly Oubre Jr.’s eight consecutive threes from Dec. 19 to Dec. 26, 2015. The 19-year-old went 5-of-5 from deep in the Suns game before starting 4-of-4 against the Bucks. He missed his final three attempts after that, finishing with 14 points (5-13 FG, 4-7 3-point) as well as two rebounds and two assists over 28 minutes. He also notched a career-high 24 points (9-12 FG, 5-5 3-point) across 25 minutes against the Suns.

Johnson is shooting a blistering 41.4 percent from long range on 5.1 average attempts this season and logged a 44.2 percent clip in December. The former Texas Longhorn is living up to his pre-draft reputation as a jumpshooting marksman.

Johnson isn’t the only Wizard lighting it up from deep, either. Second-year guard Bub Carrington has a 45.1 percent three-point clip on 4.4 average attempts this season after notching 20 points (7-14 FG, 6-11 3-point) with five rebounds, five assists, and one block over 24 minutes off the bench in Wednesday’s win. Carrington ranks eighth among NBA players with at least four average attempts in three-point percentage, while Johnson ranks 13th among those with five average attempts, per NBA Advanced Stats. Washington is 14th as a team with a 36.2 percent clip.

Meanwhile, second-year center Alex Sarr bounced back in Milwaukee after a forgettable performance against Phoenix, recording 20 points (7-15 FG, 1-2 3-point), 11 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists over 28 minutes. The 20-year-old tied Carrington for the team-high in points while also leading in boards and rejections. Furthermore, his final block was against Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo with 8.5 seconds left, which set up veteran guard CJ McCollum’s go-ahead jumper with one second to go.

Antetokounmpo then missed a 13-foot jumper on the final play, clinching the Wizards’ second win over the Bucks out of three matchups thus far this season. Washington is now 5-4 over its last nine games after starting the year 3-20.

Second-year guard AJ Johnson provided another subplot for the Wizards, as they gave him his first extended run in the NBA this season. The 21-year-old tallied eight points (3-5 FG, 2-3 3-point), two assists, one steal, and a game-high plus-14 plus/minus over 16 minutes against his former team.

Johnson was previously relegated to garbage-time duty at the NBA level this year, but is averaging 17.6 points on 40.7 percent shooting (29.1 percent 3-point) with 2.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.5 turnovers over 29.3 minutes (eight games) for the Capital City Go-Go, Washington’s G League affiliate. The organization acquired him from Milwaukee along with veteran forward Khris Middleton at last season’s trade deadline for veteran forward Kyle Kuzma.

Will Johnson crack the Wizards’ rotation moving forward?

AJ Johnson describes developmental journey with Wizards © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Johnson’s route to the NBA was unconventional. The California native signed with the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) in April 2023 after being ranked as a four-star recruit out of high school, per ESPN. He then averaged just 7.7 minutes over 26 games before being drafted No. 23 overall by the Bucks in June 2024.

Johnson appeared in seven NBA games and 25 G League contests for Milwaukee before Washington traded for him, but averaged 9.1 points over 38.1 percent shooting (24.7 percent 3-point) with 2.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists over 27 minutes (22 games, 11 starts) at the NBA level in the second half of the campaign. Although he showed explosive slashing ability, he was still raw outside of that.

Johnson then experienced bumps in the road with the Go-Go this season, including during their 112-101 home loss to the Maine Celtics (Boston Celtics’ affiliate) on Dec. 10. The 6-foot-5, 160-pounder finished with 16 points (7-18 FG, 1-6 3-point) with four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one turnover over 31 minutes, but was benched by head coach Cody Toppert at the end of the game due to defensive lapses and shoddy shot selection. Toppert was visibly upset with him during a conversation after the benching.

Johnson spoke to ClutchPoints postgame about his thoughts on that exchange.

“I love that, the way that he pushes me. Continuing to get better, focus on the little things,” he said. “[He doesn’t] let me ever have any type of slight or be low-energy in any type of way. I just like the fact that he’s always on me and has a high standard for me.”

Johnson also spoke about what he still wants to improve on.

“My defense for sure. The little things, just being in the right spots,” he said. “Being a better leader out there with my teammates, always making sure everybody’s in the right spots…With my individual game, just shooting, getting in the paint more, finding a middle game, floater, middie. Just everything, really.”

Finally, Johnson revealed the similarities and differences between what he’s learned from Toppert and Wizards head coach Brian Keefe.

“It’s really the same thing, that’s what I like about it,” he said. “They kind of give us the same type of assignments on both levels, you’re just playing against different people, different types of coverages…They want us to play hard and pay attention to detail with our little things. Defense, offense, being all the way in the corner, like deep corner instead of just mid-corner…It’s the little things when it comes to being effective in our league today…”

Johnson’s work paid off with an efficient outing on Wednesday, giving him something to build on as he tries to earn consistent NBA playing time. If he maintains the mindset he displayed after the Go-Go loss on Dec. 10, there’s no reason that he can’t keep stacking good days, health-permitting.

Up next for Washington is a home date with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.

Wizards’ Tre Johnson breaks rookie franchise record in thrilling win vs. Bucks

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