After the shocking news on Monday that Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May was leaving for the Dallas Maverics, he surprised Wolverine fans again with the player he selected for the Mavericks with the ninth overall pick.
Many expected it to be Yaxel Lendeborg or even 7-foot-2 center Aday Mara; however, the former Michigan basketball head coach, along with the Mavericks front office, decided to opt for Morez Johnson Jr. instead.
Of the three Michigan basketball players projected to go in the NBA draft lottery, Johnson was expected to go the latest. Some fans even thought their was a decent chance that Johnson could return because he would be drafted later in the first round.
Morez Johnson has tremendous upside after first-round selection to Dallas
Once the NBA draft combine rolled around, and Johnson excelled, even showing the ability to shoot the 3-ball in the process, as he did down the stretch last season, that was no longer in doubt.
At 6-foot-11, Johnson can do it all in the modern NBA. He can switch onto just about any position. He's that good of a defender. Johnson did that sort of thing over and over again last season as he helped Michigan win a national title. It's not just his length. His toughness is invaluable.
Johnson is an elite offensive rebounder, and an elite rim protector. He also has a post-up game that is just scratching the surface.
Johnson averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks last season. He shot 65.3 percent on 2-point attempts, shot 34.3 percent from 3-point range, and made 78 percent of his free throws.
The offensive upside is there. He still needs to develop, but the upside with Johnson is massive. What's not a question is the effort and toughness he will bring on the defensive end. You saw how important that was for the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Dallas has one of the most talented players in the NBA in Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick from the 2025 NBA draft. Now, it has one of the toughest. That's a great way for Dusty May to start his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks.
It wasn't surprising that May drafted a former Michigan basketball player, some were just surprised at the one that he chose first.
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