Tre Johnson: Three thoughts on Texas' latest commitment
Rodney Terry got his man on the final day of the Early Signing Period as Five-Star Plus+ shooting guard Tre Johnson posted to his Instagram page his commitment to Texas. This is the Longhorn’s third commitment of the 2024 recruiting cycle, joining four-star wing Cam Scott and four-star forward Nicolas Codie.
The 2023 cycle saw Texas sign a two-man class, four-star guard Chris Johnson and three-star forward Devon Pryor. The 2023 class was interesting as Texas had two other five-star players signed, however, Ron Holland and AJ Johnson both opted out of their Letters of Intent to play professionally.
Let’s talk about what Tre Johnson means for the Longhorns.
Who is Tre Johnson?
Tre Johnson is the No. 6 player in the 2024 On3 150 and the No. 1 shooting guard in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. He took official visits to Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, and Baylor, and Johnson ultimately chose the Longhorns over Baylor.
This summer, Johnson transferred to Branson (MO) Link Academy, after leading his Dallas (TX) Lake Highlands team to a state championship. He averaged 21.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. This summer, playing with the Houston Hoops program on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, Johnson averaged 18.7 points and 3.3 assists per contest.
“I’m a scorer,” Johnson told On3. “My mid-range and my footwork have gotten better, and I’ve mostly improved my ball handling and my consistency and my finishing a little bit.”
What does he bring to Texas?
Tre Johnson is a scorer, an advanced one. When On3 first moved him into five-star status, it was based on his advanced feel for putting the ball in the basket, at multiple levels.
The footwork was what really popped first. While he played with excellent pace, his counters in the mid-range have always gotten him open looks. If the defender is able to cut him off of his path, Johnson seemingly has a counter, no matter the level.
He has a smooth shooting stroke, with a repeatable load and consistent release. His base and balance allow him to take off-platform shots and still get his shoulders squared to the rim for his release. While his handle is not super crafty, and his burst is not super explosive, his footwork and his balance allow him to get to his spots and be a threat at all times in the half-court.
Johnson will need to continue getting stronger and continue working on defensive concepts and footwork. He has a projectable frame, with good length and instincts. The offensive game is what got him here.
Johnson talks Texas
“It’s an amazing relationship. We talk about every other day. It’s an amazing relationship.”
“(Rodney Terry) and I have had a good relationship always. He was my dad’s assistant coach when he was at Baylor. So we’ve always had a good relationship and him getting the head coaching job is really good for him. He also lets his guards play and also uses the bigger guards in the post. The players (stood out on the visit). They all stay in the gym and it’s open 24/7.”
“Their defense, I love the way they got after it on defense. And they got after it on offense. I want to go to a team that gets after it on both sides of the court, and I like how Texas did that. I like their offense, and what they do. How they used Timmy Allen against smaller guards to get shots off, and how aggressively the Texas guards play.”