The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JANUARY 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 33 tive nights, the Wolverines manhandled San Diego State (94-54), No. 21 Auburn (102-72) and No. 12 Gonzaga (101-61) to claim $1 million in NIL money and at least a million nods of recognition as one of the nation's elite this year. No less of a Michigan basketball maven than Jalen Rose — Fab Five leader, two- time NCAA championship game partici- pant and NBA All-Star — put his stamp of approval on Dusty May's crew as part of TNT's coverage of Michigan's rampage. "I talked pregame and at halftime about you guys having a legitimate chance to win the national champion- ship, because I believe we have the best front court in the country," Rose said of 6-foot-9 grad student Yaxel Lendeborg, 7-3 junior Aday Mara and Johnson. Twenty-four hours later, following the blowout of Gonzaga, Rose added, "Now I believe we have the best team in the country." Fellow TNT broadcaster and Fab Fiver Chris Webber added: "Watching the heart of the team, the IQ — because it takes so many pieces — seeing all of that then having the correct attitude, as a fan, I'm just proud to watch. It's great." Those were heady moments, for su- perstars of the past and a new power under the rim. "I think I always knew, from how we practiced every day," Johnson insisted regarding Michigan's potential. "Going against the second group every day, I always knew. But Vegas stamped it. No doubt, it stamped it." Michigan came home determined not to get stamped as a team that couldn't handle success. In its Big Ten opener against Rutgers, the Wolverines again went on the rampage, obliterating the Scarlet Knights, 101-60. Johnson led the charge, scoring a game-high 22 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, making 3 steals and notching 1 block, and shooting about as efficiently as is possible. His 22 points came via 9-of-11 shoot- ing from the field, 2 of 2 at the free throw line and 2 of 2 from three-point range. Those marked the first two triples of his career, again pointing to his hard work and growing versatility on the court. Through Michigan's first 10 games, Johnson rang up a stunning 66.3 percent of his field goals on 53-of-80 shooting from the field, averaging 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, second on the team in both metrics. VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE Nobody has to sell May on the skills of the sophomore he fondly refers to as 'Rez. May sees it up close and personal, every day. He went out and brought Johnson in from Illinois, with the cer- titude that the powerful second-year player would add to Michigan's tough- ness, length and strength this season. May also convinced the former Mr. Basketball in Illinois (2024) that his all-around game would grow in Ann Arbor. May watched it on full display in the Big Ten opener, speaking expan- sively about Johnson afterward. "How much time do we have?" May mused, when asked about his stalwart sophomore. "I can go until the hockey game starts, talking about 'Rez if you want me to. "I, and we — his teammates — really appreciate that guy. When you look at our good possessions in Vegas, a lot of times we got layups and dunks because of his seals, because of his screens, be- cause of his rim runs. He just does a lot of visible and invisible plays." The free throws are significantly vis- ible, because he shot 61.8 percent at the line for Illinois a year ago. The three- pointers caused neck-wrenching dou- ble takes all over Crisler Arena and be- yond, because Johnson didn't attempt a three all season at Illinois last year. The double drop against the Scarlet Knights lifted him to 2 of 4 on his career. "For him to throw down the threes, it's a testament to his work," May pointed out. "When he raised up into it, I don't think there was anyone think- ing, 'Oh, don't do it.' We've seen him JUNKYARD DOG Morez Johnson Jr. Provides Power Plus For Dusty May's Crew