Johnson reunites with Mavs' May, leads U-M trio in draft lottery
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- The Dallas Mavericks hired Dusty May as their new head coach and shortly after drafted Morez Johnson Jr., a former Michigan player coached by May, with the No. 9 pick in the NBA draft.
- Morez Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward who helped Michigan win the national championship, expressed excitement about reuniting with May and teaming up with Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
- Michigan had three players selected in the lottery: Johnson at No. 9 (Mavericks), Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11 (Golden State Warriors), and Aday Mara at No. 12 (Oklahoma City Thunder), marking a rare achievement for a reigning champion team.
- Lendeborg, a versatile forward and Big Ten Player of the Year, credited his mother’s support for his success and praised May’s role in his development into a lottery pick.
- Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 center known for his elite defense, transferred to Michigan from UCLA and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors before being drafted.
