NBA champion Khris Middleton bridges a decade-long rivalry to mentor sharpshooter Tre Johnson, uniting former Texas foes in a high-stakes mission to revive the Washington Wizards’ culture.
Khris Middleton and Tre Johnson spent their college careers on opposite sides of one of the biggest rivalries in Texas.
More than a decade separated their respective stops at Texas A&M and Texas, and neither spent particularly long at either school.
Now, the former Aggie and Longhorn may share a much more important objective.
They're trying to help the Washington Wizards become relevant again.
Washington has spent the past several seasons collecting young talent during an aggressive rebuild. Johnson represents a major investment in that future, while Middleton's role at 35 years old is considerably different.
The three-time All-Star and NBA champion isn't a centerpiece of Washington's rebuild, but he can help the players who might.
Middleton has previously discussed the importance of veterans in his own development after entering the NBA as a second-round pick in 2012. More than a decade later, he's now become one of those experienced voices for a Wizards roster still learning how to win consistently.
And one of Washington's most important youngsters has already caught his attention.
"He's a shooter, man. I mean, he has confidence. He's going to pull them whenever he's open and not think twice about it," Middleton said of Johnson, via Monumental Sports Network.
Aggies fans probably don't need much of an introduction to Middleton.
He spent three seasons at Texas A&M before becoming the No. 39 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. What followed included three All-Star selections, more than a decade in the league and a championship alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.
Johnson is attempting to build his own résumé after one season in Austin and apparently he didn't take long to make an impression.
Following Washington's media day in September 2025, the crew at Locked On Wizards noted that Johnson had already earned respect from both the young and veteran players in the building.
His borderline obsession with basketball became a recurring topic, with CJ McCollum even encouraging the then-rookie to find something outside the sport that could provide an escape during the grind of an 82-game NBA season.
Middleton understands that grind better than almost anyone on Washington's roster.
He entered the league as a second-round pick, eventually developing into an All-Star and champion. Middleton has also discussed how established veterans helped him navigate the early stages of his own career.
Now he's one of the veterans capable of doing the same for Washington's young core.
That's ultimately why the Wizards need both sides of this unusual Aggies-Longhorns partnership.
Johnson and Washington's young core will determine whether the rebuild actually works. Middleton doesn't need to carry them there himself, but his experience provides something a collection of young talent simply can't replicate.
He's already gone through the process they're beginning — and if Johnson eventually develops into the player Washington believes he can become, a former Aggie may have played at least a small role in helping the former Longhorn get there.
