The No. 9 overall pick couldn't have been happier to reunite with his college coach.
The Dallas Mavericks made good on the idea that new head coach and former Michigan Wolverine Dusty May would influence the team to select one of its championship-winning prospects with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
And thus the Michigan Mavs were born.
Morez Johnson Jr. comes to Dallas as a 6-9, 250-pound mauler who is as active as they come on the glass and shows offensive upside with an uber-athletic frame for his size.
Later on, Dallas also added Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea in a trade after he was drafted No. 25 overall.
But regarding Johnson, new front-office executives Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz begin their tenure in Dallas by forming a "dangerous" defensive combination with Cooper Flagg and a (hopefully) healthy Dereck Lively II.
Morez Johnson Jr. Reacts to May Hire, Dallas Pick
"I was insanely shocked when I saw Dusty was going to be coach of the Mavs," Johnson told reporters after his selection. "I did not see it coming at all. And now for him to be my coach again, I'm excited. I'm excited.
"It's insane. We just won a national championship together. I can't wait to get there and go to work with him again and ultimately win again."
Michigan's title, a first for the program in nearly 40 years, also starred lottery picks Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11 to Golden State) and Aday Mara (No. 12 to Oklahoma City). Michigan became the first reigning champions to produce three lottery picks since 1985.
What type of player is Dallas getting? And also, what type of coach?
"A coach that's going to dedicate every day to making sure they get back to competing for a championship, and a a great guy," Johnson said of May. "They're going to get the same guy every day. Dusty is one of the best people I've ever met in my life."
Last month, May joined Yahoo! Sports' Kevin O'Connor's podcast to discuss how versatile Johnson was in the Wolverines' run through March Madness. It's enough to get Mavs fans excited about the possibilities.
"It became a saying amongst our staff, 'We have Rez and they don't.' We're not getting punked tonight. We're gonna be the more physical basketball team ... He did a lot for us."
Johnson On Teaming Up with Cooper Flagg
Johnson's presence will immediately be felt on the defensive end, which is comparable to the instant impact of reigning Rookie of the Year Flagg. The new rookie mentioned that he's played against Flagg on the AAU circuit and that he's excited to team up in Dallas.
"I think it can get dangerous, us two on the court at the same time," Johnson said. "I've been playing against Coop for a very long time. I'm very excited & happy that I'm on the same side as him. Get some wins together."
GM Mike Schmitz Details the Selection Process
"Morez brings the type of toughness and competitiveness that we're looking for," Schmitz said. "High energy guy, incredible motor, and he's a winner. He has done it at the highest level of college basketball and did so as a 20-year-old, too.
"He brings that type of energy and toughness that we want here in Dallas. And the familiarity piece is going to be huge. It's obviously a very unique situation to be able to play for your college coach at the NBA level, so you know, really excited to have more as and Dusty as well. So big night for us."
We assumed, with May just a day into his job, that he could have a say in the Mavs' draft plan because of the likelihood that the trio of Wolverines would be available at No. 9. Still, things remained up in the air as trade rumors swirled and another quality guard among a string of them, Brayden Burries, was sitting there, too. Some didn’t even think Johnson was the first or second best Michigan product on the board.
But alas, Johnson is their guy. He’s a Masai Ujiri archetype if there every was one - long, athletic, Day 1 defensive instincts and potential, with offensive traits worth investing in and developing. Ujiri has a track record of those projects working out, too.
"Dusty gave us a great rundown on several prospects in the draft that he’s familiar with," Schmitz said. "Just to have that insight from his perspective is obviously very unique. He spoke the world of Morez, referenced him as an 'everyday guy.'
"To hear his insight on him gave us just even more confidence in our evaluation. ... We just added another really talented young player, someone who fits the mentality that we want..."
