Wolverine Digest

New Michigan basketball transfer Morez Johnson dazzles in debut with Team USA against Australia

The big man came off the bench and provided great energy.

Trent Knoop

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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New Michigan basketball big man Morez Johnson Jr. suited up for USA's Junior National Basketball Team on Saturday, and Team USA faced Australia. The US won the game 88-73, and Johnson Jr. was a big help in the win.

He posted a double-double off the bench, scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds. Johnson Jr. also had four blocks and two steals in the decisive win.

The 6-foot-9 big man will enter his sophomore season with the Wolverines after spending his freshman year with Illinois. In 30 games for the Illini, Johnson Jr. averaged seven points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in just 17.7 minutes of playing time.

The Wolverines will likely use Johnson Jr. at the '5' next season in Ann Arbor. Michigan landed the Illinois transfer along with 7-footer Aday Mara from UCLA, and the top-ranked transfer Yaxel Lendeborg out of UAB to fill out its frontcourt for next year.

In a recent sit down, Coach May talked about landing the Illinois transfer.

“Yeah, that's the beauty of the portal. You have to make quick, decisive decisions. And by playing these teams and watching as much ball as we do, it doesn't take us long to decide who we want once they go into the portal," May said.

"And Morez was in an extremely expedited recruiting process where he knew what he was looking for. I think we fit a lot of the criteria of who he is and what he was, you know, and he had a good experience at Illinois. He played well.

"He was in the rotation. So sometimes these guys are just looking for a change."

Johnson Jr. and Team USA will play again on Sunday against France.

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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