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Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. to remain in NBA Draft

Danby: Daniel Hager05/19/26DanielHagerOn3

Michigan star forward Morez Johnson Jr. will remain in the NBA Draft and turn pro, On3’s Joe Tipton reported on Tuesday. His time at Michigan has officially come to an end.

In just one season with the program, however, Morez Johnson Jr. etched his mark as one of the most important players to don a Michigan uniform. The Illinois transfer averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across 40 games, and helped lead the Wolverines to their first National Championship since 1989.

In ESPN’s Jeremy Woo‘s latest NBA Mock Draft, Johnson Jr. is projected to be selected with the No. 17 overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is one of three Wolverines projected to hear their name called in the First Round (Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg).

While it was a given that Mara and Lendeborg would be staying in the NBA Draft, there was always a possibility that Morez Johnson Jr. would return to Michigan for another season. On Saturday, Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau announced that he’d be withdrawing from the Draft to return to Michigan.

Morez Johnson Jr. helped lead Michigan to National Championship in lone season

Michigan assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. touched on Johnson Jr.’s stay or go decision this week on the ‘Defend The Block’ podcast with Brian Boesch.

“Regardless of what decision he makes for him individually, this is a good process,” Boynton Jr. said, via The Wolverine. “If it results in him playing for the Chicago Bulls next year, we’ll go to watch the Chicago Bulls play the Pistons when they come to Detroit next season. If it results in him playing for Michigan next year, then certainly we’ll do everything we can to help him be in a better position a year from now, because our job is to help them achieve their goals also, while trying to accomplish the goals that the program has in mind.

“But, at the same time, you have to be prepared for the reality that a few of them may not come back and how do you then put together a roster that can still be very competitive and give you a chance to compete at the highest level of college basketball.”

Johnson Jr. scored in double-figures in five of Michigan‘s six NCAA Tournament games, and will forever be remembered as a legend in Ann Arbor. He will now shift complete focus on the NBA Draft, following a strong Combine showing.