Throughout his freshman season, Tre Johnson has been compared to one of the greatest collegiate basketball players of all time; fellow Longhorn legend Kevin Durant.
He led Texas to some of its biggest wins of the season, including upset victories over Kentucky in the regular season and Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament. Yet, when the Associated Press released its annual All-America teams, Johnson couldn't be found on any of the three rosters.
In fact, he was one of a dozen players listed in the "honorable mention" category, alongside fellow stars like Tennessee's Chaz Lanier and Iowa State's Curtis Jones.
Only one freshman found a place within the AP All-American rosters; Duke's Cooper Flagg, who is on the First Team. Two sophomores, Texas Tech's JT Toppin and Memphis' PJ Haggerty, are on the Second Team. Everyone else who earned the postseason honors is an upperclassman.
🚨 AP All-America First-Team
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 18, 2025
🏀 Johni Broome
🏀 Cooper Flagg
🏀 Mark Sears
🏀 Walter Clayton Jr.
🏀 Braden Smith pic.twitter.com/x1hBc10Wu2
Yes, the players on the First and Second teams (almost) undeniably deserve their place on the rosters. However, to leave Johnson off of any of the teams, after his record-breaking freshman season, was a massive snub.
Tre Johnson freshman season stats
- 19.8 points per game
- 3.0 rebounds per game
- 2.8 assists per game
- 1.0 steals per game
Johnson started in 32 of the Horns' 34 games so far this season and averaged nearly 35 minutes per appearance. He led Texas in scoring throughout the regular season and after the Longhorns' run to the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament.
At the end of February, he broke Durant's scoring record for a freshman with a 39-point performance against the Arkansas Razorbacks, which was his third 30-point game of the season. In Texas' three conference tournament games, he amassed 50 points and seven assists, alongside four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
Also read: Two Longhorns earn a place on the NABC All-Gulf District team
As Texas enters the NCAA Tournament, the Horns are expected to once again lean on their freshman phenom, who quite simply deserved better than "honorable mention."