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Zach Lowe Has Special Shoutout For One Wizards Rookie

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Gerard Angelo Samillano | Last updated Apr 8, 2025 12:06 AM ET

AJ Johnson has been quite the revelation for the Washington Wizards this season. A player that seemed to be just thrown into the Kyle Kuzma-Khris Middleton trade randomly has proven to be one of the better young prospects in the league. The uber-athletic guard has balled out in his time in DC.

Already, Johnson is getting some much-deserved attention from the top analysts in the NBA. NBA writer Zach Lowe mentioned Johnson's performance while discussing the Kuzma-Middleton trade, noting that the rookie has been performing exceptionally well when he was given playing time by Washington.

"I hate to say it... the AJ Johnson kid in Washington who got tossed into that Kuzma-Middleton trade," Lowe said on his appearance on Bill Simmons' podcast, "He's got something. he draft nicks all were like, this dude is a monster athlete. He’s got something. And now he gets to play because if you’re on the Wizards roster and you’re healthy, you now get to play... And he’s got some stuff.”

Oh, he's got some stuff indeed. Johnson saw his playing time increase in March, as the Wizards started experimenting with lineups. Johnson was one of the players that saw his production increase significantly. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.3 assists per game while playing around 27 minutes. His athleticism stood out, as the rookie had a penchant for highlight plays.

Johnson continues to see some success in April, as he's moved into a full-time starting role. In three starts this month, the Wizards rookie is averaging 14 points and four assists per contest. His efficiency has also improved, shooting 44.4% from the field and 31.3% from deep (compared to 40.6% and 26.7% in March). If he continues with this performance, he'll be a significant part of the Wizards' future.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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