Thornton Township alum Morez Johnson to keep his name in 2026 NBA Draft | Report

The top 4 NBA Draft prospects talk their NBA Combine experiences

Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson are expected to be the top four picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. We'll find the order soon. The four players talked about their NBA Combine experiences.

Morez Johnson Jr. is two years removed from starring at Thornton Township High School.

Now, he'll be one of the more intriguing NBA Draft prospects after reportedly keeping his name in the 2026 NBA Draft.

By the numbers:

According to ESPN, Johnson has decided to keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft pool instead of returning to Michigan.

Johnson transferred to Michigan after his freshman season at Illinois. While in Champaign, he averaged seven points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42.2 percent on field goals from the floor.

It was a blow for the Illini when he transferred. It was a gut punch when he transferred to Ann Arbor. But, the move paid dividends for Johnson.

He started every game for the Wolverines in Michigan's national championship season and enjoyed a breakout season under head coach Dusty May. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game for Michigan, including 12.8 points and eight rebounds per game in the NCAA Tournament. Johnson showed his abilities as a physically imposing forward who played at a high-level with and without the ball next to Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg on both ends of the court.

In the national championship game against UConn, Johnson had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. This got him on NBA Draft boards as a sophomore.

Big picture view:

Johnson's decision to stay in the NBA Draft usually means his work paid off.

On top of his performances in the 2025-2026 season, his presence at the NBA Combine last week helped him lift his draft stock enough to solidify him as a first-round pick. A few players will make their NBA Draft decisions based on what they heard from NBA scouts at the combine.

Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic is deciding whether to remain in the draft or to return to the Illini for another season. Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau has already opted to return to Michigan for the Wolverines' title defense.

Johnson currently projects as a top-20 selection. He could potentially move into the lottery range if teams like his potential, and there's plenty of it. What works in Johnson's favor the most is his two-way ability. He's an imposing figure on defense with a high-motor as a rebounder with a soft touch to his offensive game, but he'll play his fair share of bully ball. 

Local perspective:

Johnson could potentially join Mara and Lendeborg as top-20 NBA Draft picks, and there's a chance the Chicago Bulls could give Johnson a shot with the No. 15 overall pick.

The Bulls have two first-round selections as the No. 15 overall pick conveyed to Chicago after the Portland Trail Blazers made the NBA Playoffs. With the fourth-overall selection, the Bulls will most likely take one of the following four: Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson or AJ Dybansta.

What happens at No. 15 overall could compliment the fourth-overall pick, or it could just simply be the best player available.