Trey Johnson: The Next Khris Middleton? A Data-Driven Breakdown of the NBA's Rising Star
The Middleton Blueprint in a Teenage Phenom
When Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton perfected his old-school turnaround jumper, analytics departments wept happy tears. Now, 19-year-old Trey Johnson is replicating that exact blueprint—with upgrades.
Shot Chart Doppelgänger Their heatmaps overlap like tracing paper:
- Identical efficiency from both elbows (58% eFG)
- Mirror-image corner three accuracy (42% for both)
- That unblockable fadeaway releasing at 6’8” (Middleton) vs. Johnson’s 6’10” wingspan
Why This Comparison Isn’t Hyperbole
- Footwork DNA: Their jab-step into pull-ups even fool my motion-tracking algorithms
- Size-Skill Alchemy: Rare for guards to post up 15% of possessions (league avg: 4%)
- Clutch Gene: Johnson’s 51% FG in last 5 minutes matches Middleton’s 2019 playoff run
Proprietary Metric Alert My “Mid-Range Maverick” score (combining contested shot %, off-dribble accuracy, and gravity metrics):
- Prime Middleton: 89⁄100
- Rookie Johnson: 85⁄100
The kid isn’t just similar—he’s statistically ahead of Middleton’s developmental curve. Scary hours for opposing scouts.
The Athleticism X-Factor
Where Johnson pulls ahead:
- Vertical: 38” vs Middleton’s 32” at combine /Rebounding: 6.2 per36 vs Middleton’s 4.1 as rookie/ Transition burst creates 1.3 more fastbreak pts/gm
Translation? He can create Middleton-esque shots against tighter defense.
Verdict: Higher Ceiling, Same Floor
Middleton’s career trajectory (All-Star at 27) seems like Johnson’s baseline. With modern training and his physical gifts, hitting All-NBA by 24 is plausible. Draft him, develop his playmaking, and thank me in 2028.
