On June 22, Michigan basketball will enjoy the celebration of three of its most distinguished players as they enter the next chapter of their lives. It will be the first time in 36 years that the Wolverines are expected to have three first-round picks, and it could set a record for how early they go in the lottery portion of the draft.
Which Wolverine will have the best NBA career?
Aday Mara is being projected as the first Wolverine to go off the boards. Scouts have fallen in love with him because of his size and potential. Teams are searching for someone to guard bigs like Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama and Mara is capable of doing so. If he can start knocking down three's at a high clip, then watch out.
Out of the three, Mara has the tools to be in the running for defensive player of the year. His length will give opponents fits and few can block shots at the pace he does. Mara has the most upside of the three, but 7-footers tend to have knee and back issues that prevent them from lasting longer in the association. Mara will have to break that trend.
Yaxel Lendeborg is made for today's game and was clearly the best college player out of the bunch. He can handle point guard duties, run down a blocked shot from behind, and take over games when required to. Having the most ready NBA body doesn't hurt either. Lendeborg would be my choice to play the longest, but he has to take care of his body like LeBron James and others who prolong their careers do.
Morez Johnson Jr. may be the hardest worker of them all. He went from being mocked in the late first round, to the top half of it. To his credit he still has the most to work on, because post players are fading away in the league, but that doesn't phase him. Johnson Jr. is betting on himself and he's already won at that gamble.
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