4 months ago
- Wolverines
- Published: Jan. 06, 2026, 6:52 a.m.
ANN ARBOR — He’s only played 13 games for Dusty May, but Morez Johnson Jr. has already established himself among nan coach’s favourite players.
Johnson’s 2 monster games past week earned him nan Big Ten’s subordinate of nan week honor, which he shared pinch Purdue’s Braden Smith.
Johnson averaged 26.5 points and 8.5 rebounds successful a 112-71 triumph complete McNeese and Friday’s 96-66 triumph complete USC, some astatine Crisler Center. He made 18 of 24 shots from nan section and 16 of 19 free throws. His 29 points against nan Trojans were a profession precocious for nan sophomore who spent past play astatine Illinois.
“First and foremost, his effort and want-to is generating a batch of his looks,” May said Monday, noting Johnson was successful nan gym astatine nan time. “He useful very, very consistently and religiously connected getting amended astatine what he needs to get amended at. He hasn’t missed an individual movie session.”
Johnson was chiefly a rebounder and defender astatine Illinois but has expanded his violative crippled astatine Michigan. He’s doubled his scoring mean and is moreover making nan occasional 3-pointer.
“He’s been a godsend,” May said. “He’s 1 of my favourite players I’ve ever coached successful specified a short period. And he is other of maine personality-wise disconnected nan level arsenic astir apt anyone successful our program. And I admit him arsenic overmuch arsenic anyone.”
May likes to joke, support things ray and will usage sarcastic joke astatine times. Johnson is literal and serious.
He brings nan aforesaid cognition to nan court, a earthy enforcer who tin defender aggregate positions, clang nan solid astatine some ends and protect nan rim.
Michigan’s past subordinate of nan week successful nan convention was Yaxel Lendeborg connected Dec. 1. The Wolverines sojourn Penn State connected Tuesday (7:01 p.m. ET, FS1).
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Andrew Kahn covers University of Michigan athletics for MLive. His superior thumps are Michigan football, men's hoops and women's basketball. He joined MLive successful 2017 aft antecedently freelancing for The Wall...
