Morez Johnson Jr. speaks up on potential Michigan return during NBA Draft process appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Michigan basketball reached the top of the mountain last season, winning the national title at the end of a dominant March Madness. run. The talent on that Michigan team will get all of the love on NBA Draft night, with three potential lottery picks coming off the board from the Maize and Blue.
Advertisement
One of those potential lottery picks is big man Morez Johnson Jr. The Illinois transfer emerged as a key cog in the Michigan machine this season, spending time at both power forward and center during the season.
While Johnson is still going through the NBA Draft process, the door is still open for him to return to Ann Arbor for another season. On Wednesday at the NBA Combine, Johnson told Andy Katz that he hasn’t thought about his decision just yet.
“To be honest, I haven’t even talked to my agents about that,” Johnson said. “I’ve just been focused on this right here, the combine, the task at hand, performing my best and showing everybody what I can do. Then I’ll talk to [my agents] and see what they say, and they’ll give me their best advice. That’s what I hired my agents for, so I’m gonna trust them.”
Advertisement
Johnson started his college career at Illinois, contributing mostly in a bench role in 2024-25 for Brad Underwood. However, when he transferred to Michigan, he became a star and an impact player on both ends of the floor.
The 6-foot-9 big man played all 40 games for Michigan last season, averaging just over 25 minutes a night. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on 62.3% shooting from the floor, making him an intriguing prospect in this draft.
Johnson is a solid finisher at the rim, but it’s his athleticism and versatility that really makes him an intriguing pro prospect. He is able to guard multiple positions, including out on the perimeter, and is a dynamic roller and rim-runner as a result.
It still feels overwhelmingly likely that Johnson will remain in the NBA Draft and be a lottery pick. However, that won’t stop Michigan fans from dreaming of a return.
Advertisement
Related: Allen Graves reveals 2 schools trying to influence NBA Draft decision
Related: Yaxel Lendeborg gets real about Cooper Flagg amid potential Mavericks future
