Neither Dusty May nor the Michigan fanbase have completely ruled out another season of Morez Johnson Jr., whose name remains in the NBA Draft. However, after testing incredibly well at the NBA Combine, and based on various outlets’ draft projections, it feels likely the Wolverines will need to look elsewhere for that final roster spot for the 2026-27 season.
Let’s take a quick look and see where Johnson is at on big boards and mock drafts:
Jonathan Wasserman had this to say on Johnson, whom he compared to the Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart:
“Morez Johnson could have only helped himself at the NBA combine. After measuring 6’9″ barefoot, 250 pounds with a 7’3.5″ wingspan, he surprised with 17-of-25 makes in the three-point star drill, got up for a 39.5″ max vertical and one of the top lane agility times.
NBA teams understand his offensive limitations, but they also value what he does well and believe that physicality, finishing, defensive versatility and motor are sure to translate.
He could wind up earning lottery consideration if he continues to shoot well during workouts.“
Kurt Helin, who has Johnson paired up with the Toronto Raptors at 19, said, “Morez helped his cause at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing a combination of size (6’9″ with an 8’11” reach) and athleticism (a 39-inch vertical leap). He also shot well from 3 at the combine, something he didn’t get to show at Michigan. Johnson is a high-energy player who was one of the locker room leaders of a national champion; he’ll fit in with whatever is being built in Toronto.“
Mark Giannotto has the San Antonio Spurs selecting Johnson at 20. Along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, this feels like an ideal landing spot for Johnson (and anyone really) to develop his skills before transitioning into a more relied-upon player.
Additionally, 247Sports’ Zach Shaw had this to add regarding Johnson’s showing at the NBA Combine:
“A case could be made that Johnson elevated his draft stock more than any other player at the NBA Draft Combine. Scouts likely were impressed by Johnson’s toughness, physicality and aggression on both sides of the court before the combine thanks to his strong season at Michigan, but there aren’t too many players with wingspans greater than 7-foot-3, weighing more than 250 pounds and posting testing results like a 10.59-second lane agility time, a 39-inch vertical leap and 17 of 25 3-pointers. Most of the players who do check those boxes aren’t on rookie contracts, but max ones.”
You could argue that without having a lottery guarantee, Johnson could benefit from another year with May and turn into a surefire lottery selection next summer. But even if he expanded his offensive repertoire and continued to wreak havoc on the glass and the defensive end, he will probably never fit the mold of a No. 1 scorer or upper-echelon draft prospect.
Additionally, consistently landing in the Top 20 of these mocks should make this a relatively easy decision for Johnson and his camp. The overwhelming odds are this point are that Johnson will stay in the draft and leave college basketball on top of the mountain as a national champion.
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