Tre Johnson, a talented shooting guard who played for the Texas Longhorns in 2024-25 before declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft, shared his story about his unique basketball journey and his family’s legacy. Playing under a coach who once worked with his father decades ago, Johnson reflected on the surreal generational connection that shaped his time at Texas.
Tre Johnson on the Surreal Generational Gap
On “The Deep 3” podcast, Johnson shared how his time at Texas connects to what his father went through. A coach who knew Johnson’s dad 30 years ago helped create a powerful connection — and a surprise.
Because of what that meant to him, Johnson said his time at Texas felt personal, even though it happened years after his dad’s.
Johnson talked about stories that came from that bond, saying: “We had similar stories about him, just about his practice regimen and like how he took the game of basketball, like [he] love the game. But that’s crazy that that never changed about him.”
Johnson’s dad, Richard Johnson Jr., played basketball for the Baylor Bears in college, where he played under Rodney Terry, who was an assistant from 1996-98. After a stint at Texas as an assistant from 2002-11, he returned to Texas in 2021, starting as an assistant coach before becoming an interim head coach and then a full-time head coach.
Despite the decades of time between, the Johnson family has been intertwined with Terry’s coaching career, who was let go by Texas after the 2024-25 season and remains a free agent.
“Me and my pop’s age gap is crazy.” That moment shows how real it felt for him to step into a world where his dad’s past and his own present collided. It’s a story that feels bigger than basketball.
A Rising Star With Deep Roots
At 6-foot-6, Johnson had a size advantage. In a chat with Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, he said he takes pride in both scoring and passing and looks up to NBA stars Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum. His 2.7 assists per game in college show how much he values team play. Johnson could be one of the top picks in 2025.
Tre Johnson is an elite shot maker with good size. It’s not easy to put up nearly 20 PPG but he did it. The defense needs to improve but it’s fixable stuff. Once he gets a coach that runs sets at a high level, Tre Johnson could be an elite off ball. #nbadraft pic.twitter.com/KG2x9uVGJ2
— Brian Taylor (@Weridos1221) May 30, 2025
Beyond his natural talent, Johnson is filled with grit. Dealing with the SEC’s fierce competition, he showed up in a big way, such as scoring 39 points against Arkansas in an overtime game, breaking Kevin Durant’s school freshman record.
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