Tre Johnson, Jeremiah Fears Reportedly Stirring 'Enthusiasm in NBA Circles' for Draft

Two guards from the SEC are reportedly moving up NBA draft boards for some around the league.

According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, there is "quite a bit of enthusiasm in NBA circles" for Texas' Tre Johnson and Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears.

Givony noted that both players could be in the mix starting at No. 3 overall in the draft, behind Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper.

In the latest mock from B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, Fears and Johnson came off the board with back-to-back picks. Fears is projected to be selected at No. 5, followed by Johnson.

Breaking into the top three in this year's class seems like a difficult task. Flagg has been entrenched as the No. 1 prospect basically since he reclassified two years ago to become eligible for the 2025 draft.

Harper and VJ Edgecombe are the likely favorites to be selected two and three. Fears going ahead of Johnson would be a bit of a surprise just because the latter showed better shooting ability last season.

Johnson made 39.7 percent of his three-pointers on 6.8 attempts per game. Fears shot just 28.4 percent behind the arc on 3.9 attempts per contest.

Wasserman noted NBA scouts are much less concerned about Fears' long-term prospects because of how "dangerous/translatable his handle, speed and finishing craft look."

Wasserman describes Johnson as a "safe" type of prospect because of his shooting ability, but maybe more of a lower ceiling since he doesn't really attack the rim.

A lot of where these players end up being selected could come down to the lottery results. Fears is more of a playmaker as a true point guard that could be useful for teams like the Wizards or Brooklyn Nets that need someone who can run the offense.

Things will come into focus after the top 14 picks in the draft are set following the lottery on May 12.