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Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. was just selected at No. 9 overall in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.
Playing alongside fellow NBA Draft prospects Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg, Johnson became a critical contributor in the Wolverines’ title run, averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds, shooting 62.3 percent from the field, and earning All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the league’s All-Defensive Team.
While he still has raw components to his game, the 20-year-old has immense potential to become an NBA star, coming into the league with a championship and a hunger to be the most physical player on the court.
Quick Facts
Standing Reach: 8-foot-11
Draft Day Age: 20 years old
Career stats: 70 games (48 starts), 10.5 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game and 1.1 blocks per game. 62.8 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three and 72.2 percent from the free throw line.
Strengths
Rebounding and screening via his strength and motor on the interior.
Defensive impact and versatility with switch-ability to guard every position.
High production in transition with instinctual cutting ability and finding easy looks.
Weaknesses
Passing and play-making as a primary ball-handler.
Shooting the three-point ball.
Consistent free throw shooting in big moments.
Summary
Johnson has the potential to be the best NBA player out of the three Michigan prospects when it is all said and done, but he also has the furthest to go.
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He grew as a complete player all season long at Michigan. He proved to be among the best defenders in the entire country this season, and has the size and the tools to continue offering the same at the next level.
Johnson was a staple of the Wolverines’ interior defense during their National Championship run, averaging 1.1 blocks and 0.7 steals per game, good for a near-five percent block percentage and 1.7 steal percentage, with a great 5.7 defensive box-plus-minus to wrap it all up, according to Sports Illustrated.
Against Johnson this…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-draft-michigan-f-morez-011200057.html
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Publish date : 2026-06-24 01:12:00
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