From elite rim protection to versatile defensive switching, this Michigan standout is proving his lottery-pick status by dominating the paint and energizing his new Dallas teammates.
DALLAS - New Dallas Mavs coach Dusty May - the "old'' University of Michigan coach - knew what he was doing.
That's one of the reasons Morez Johnson Jr. is in Big D.
And his teammates are elated at the coming payoff.
“I love him already,” Mavs Summer League teammate Ryan Nembhard said while the club was in Las Vegas. “He plays so hard on both ends and impacts the game somehow, whether his shot is falling or not. Rebounds, blocked shots, switching 1 through 5, he had some really good floor game getting us into our next actions.
"I loved watching him last year at Michigan, and it’s been great playing with him today.”
As it happens, Ryan's no longer with Dallas as over the weekend he was shipped away as part of a three-team deal that moves Oklahoma City's Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks that brings former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks and sends Nembhard to Atlanta.
But the point remains the same.
'Rez's Summer League Stats? He played in two games (before resting with a calf issue) and his averages looks like this: 18.5 points per, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, three blocks and 64-percent shooting.
Johnson exploded onto the Summer League scene with 27 points and eight rebounds on 12 of 17 shooting in the opening game. ... after which Nembhard issued his rave reviews.
The numbers back up part of what Nembhard is describing. But Nembhard’s praise centered more on the little things that don't show up in the boxscore ... and the 6-10, 250-pound Johnson does indeed seem capable of helping Dallas in some subtle ways.
How soon does all of this transfer to a rookie becoming a standout under first-year head coach May, who of course worked with Johnson as a member of the Wolverines?
Some patience is merited there, even though Johnson was the No. 9 overall pick in the recent NBA Draft.
But we will note that Nembhard’s reference to watching Johnson “last year at Michigan” points back to the Wolverines’ national championship run in April. Johnson's success in college translated very well at that level ... and again, it was about much more than just stats.
Looking at it optimistically? The Mavs, led by young sensation Cooper Flagg and by all-timer point guard Kyrie Irving, have plenty of minutes to give for someone who "gets it'' despite being a first-year guy. So Morez Johnson playing enough to make a bid for the NBA All-Rookie Team would be a thrill ...
And something more for his Mavericks teammates to "love'' about him.
