A defensive force with a championship pedigree, this bruising forward pairs physical interior scoring with a developing jump shot to emerge as a versatile first-round prospect.
Brooklyn Nets fans will be holding their breath Sunday, as the NBA Lottery commences.
Will the squad cash in on their 14-percent odds at the top pick or begin to pivot towards the rest of the extremely talented lottery prospects, like Keaton Wagler of Illinois, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Darius Acuff of Arkansas and Cameron Boozer of Duke?
In this profile, I will be highlighting Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., who played in all 40 games for the Wolverines and was a crucial part of their title run.
Bruising Physicality
In today's 3-point heavy age of NBA basketball, Johnson stands out as a physical presence.
Following the Wolverines' National Championship, Johnson was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team and All-Big Ten Second Team.
The 6-foot-9 forward uses strong drives and initiates contact to create advantages on the inside, finishing with nice touch from the painted area and beyond.
Morez averaged a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game, while leading Michigan in double-doubles (9).
On the defensive end, Johnson averaged over a block per game, while frequently finding himself in passing lanes and recording steals with quick hands and reactions on the inside.
In the National Championship game against UConn, Johnson recorded a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, while rejecting two Husky shot attempts and adding a steal.
This marked Johnson's twelfth outing recording two or more blocks on the season.
Developing Shooter
While Johnson didn't take many threes last season, he shot the long ball at a respectable 34.3-percent clip.
After failing to attempt a 3-pointer during his freshman campaign at Illinois, Johnson made 12 last season, including a 2-2 outing in a crucial 71-68 win over Iowa late in the year.
Johnson is also a much-improved free-throw shooter, knocking down 78.2-percent of his attempts from the charity stripe.
While he will of course need to continue to develop more consistency from long range, his improvement is noticeable and his jump shot is smooth.
Draft Projection
In ESPN's latest mock draft, Johnson landed with the San Antonio Spurs at pick No. 20.
This area of the draft is projected to be much more front court heavy than the lottery, with multiple big men like Johnson, Hannes Steinbach, and Jayden Quaintance flying off the board from picks 15-20.
Are Nets a Fit?
While Johnson is similar to Claxton in stature and defensive intensity, he possesses high offensive upside and an immediate upgrade as a jump shooter.
He also possesses the ability to switch onto guards and hold his own, providing versatility as a defender.
Getting younger in the front court should be a priority for Brooklyn, as Claxton has seemingly peaked.
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