The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1535358
34 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JUNE/JULY 2025 2025 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CHRIS BALAS M ichigan had plenty of success and did a lot right in Dusty May's first year as head coach, winning a Big Ten Tournament title and making the Sweet 16. While it was a good start, May has higher expectations for a program he re- suscitated in Year 1, and he's taken steps to shore up the weaknesses. One area — toughness and rebound- ing — he addressed in eye-opening fash- ion this spring. "Poaching" might not be the right word for landing power forward Morez Johnson Jr. from Big Ten foe Illinois given that Johnson entered the portal on his own volition, but it was a steal, none- theless. "These recruiting processes were ex- treme," May said. "This happened in less than a week. When we came home on Sunday [after losing to Auburn in Atlanta in NCAA Tournament play], Coach 'Keem [assistant Akeem Miskdeen] said, 'I'm going to go to Chicago and meet Morez Johnson and his family.' I was like, 'Oh, wow. OK!' "Up until he got injured [last year], we knew this kid was so good … a warrior. Obviously, we didn't expect him to go in the portal, because he started [as a fresh- man]. Sometimes, like Tre [Donaldson], the situation changes with who else you bring in." Donaldson left Michigan for Miami when the Wolverines added North Car- olina point guard Elliot Cadeau. While May thought there was room for both players, Donaldson apparently felt dif- ferently. And while nobody knows ex- actly why Johnson wanted to move on, the Illini did bring in another big man in Arkansas' Zvonimir Ivisic. Regardless of the reason, the Wolver- ines got a potentially great one. John- son's 17.2 percent offensive rebounding rate would have led the Big Ten had the sophomore-to-be met a certain minutes threshold. The Illini had a 41.6 percent offensive rebounding rate when Johnson was on the floor and 32.1 percent when he was off, proving his worth. "It was a rare occasion where he wasn't the toughest guy on the court," News- Gazette Illinois writer Scott Richey said after Johnson's April 1 pledge to U-M. "Just the energy and effort he expended to rebound was something that was no- table from Day 1. I actually saw some of it in high school, but in a lot of instances he was just incredibly so far advanced past his opponents that you took it for granted that he was putting up 20 and 10 on the regular in high school. "But as a freshman in college, he didn't back down from the physicality. It helps that he came in with a college-ready body … but more than the physicality is he just went to the glass. There are the angles as a rebounder and boxing out, but when it comes down to it, you just have to go get the ball — and he went and got the ball." That's something the Wolverines didn't do enough of last season and have made a point of emphasis in Year 2. But Johnson is more than just a banger. Illinois sources believed he has untapped offensive potential, too, and May has seen it, as well. "He's a good free throw shooter, has a good stroke," May said. "Obviously, he's going to hang his hat on who he is, being a physical, freak athlete. He can rebound and finish. We think he'll be able to drive bigs. When he plays the 5 [center posi- tion], he'll be able to drive 5s. When he plays the 4, he'll be able to dribble hand- off, pick and pop, take advantage of mis- matches. "We plan on, as much as he develops, using his skill set in the scheme of what we're trying to do. We think he has big upside and a big jump to make this sum- mer." That will benefit Johnson as well as May and Michigan in what could be an outstanding second season in the Big Ten for both player and coach. ❑ Intraconference Coup Former Illinois Forward Morez Johnson Jr. Is Just What The Doctor Ordered For Michigan Johnson By The Numbers • On3 Industry Ranking: No. 43 portal trans- fer and No. 11 power forward nationally. • Illinois 2024-25 season: Notched eight starts in 30 appearances … Averaged 7.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, adding 1.1 blocks … Recorded three double-doubles dur- ing the season and logged double-figure re- bounds five times … Registered 11 points and 12 rebounds in two NCAA Tournament games. • Chicago Thornton Township High: Ranked the No. 28 prep player nationally and the No. 5 power forward in the On3 Industry Ranking. — Chris Balas Johnson averaged 7.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, adding 1.1 blocks, as a freshman at Illinois last season. PHOTO COURTESY ILLINOIS ATHLETICS