Michigan in the mix for Big Ten center in the transfer portal
The Michigan Wolverines continue to expand their board in the NCAA transfer portal with movement now that the season is over. With size needed, a new target has emerged in Illinois freshman Morez Johnson Jr., according to On3’s Joe Tipton.
Johnson has appeared in 30 games, starting in eight, and averaged 7.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game this season, with a field goal percentage of 64.2%. He did not play when Michigan and Illinois met on March 2, a 93-73 win over the Fightining Illini at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor and missed most of the final month of the season while dealing with a wrist injury.
Johnson is currently the No. 28 overall player in the transfer portal and 9th-best power forward, according to On3’s rankings. Coming out of high school, he was a four-star recruit and the No. 28 prospect in the country.
Johnson is a true paint big man, taking all of his 120 shot attempts from inside, making 77-of-120 attempts from the floor.
“Morez Johnson has a basketball player’s frame,” On3’s Jamie Shaw wrote in his recruiting profile. “Good length with broad shoulders. He is at his best when playing 15 feet from the basket. Can be a bully on the block. Has a sense of toughness. He rebounds it well. Finishes through contact and can chase the offensive glass. Consistent output is a question. He has touch on the jumper but needs to tighten up from the free-throw line.”
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Michigan is working its way through the portal and roster adjustments up against the backdrop of one of the chalkiest NCAA Tournaments in the history of the sport. All four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four in San Antonio without a ton of upsets across the country.
Head coach Dusty May said it could be the start of a trend.
“I don’t think Cinderella is dead,” head coach Dusty May said Thursday in Atlanta. “I think she’s probably not going to be making visits as frequently as she did before.
“You know, I look at it like this. We lost a few players at FAU early on. One left before we thought he was an All-League player,” May said in Atlanta. “We’re obviously disappointed. Everyone was upset. My response was always, hey, we get paid to coach basketball, to do the best we can. If they decide to leave, then we’ve got to support them. Now, what we have to do a better job of is making sure we keep these guys long enough to be All-Conference. Then, if they leave, then that’s part of it. But we can’t lose them before they’re going to be All-Conference level players.”
The transfer portal is open through April 22.
