The Dallas Mavericks have selected Morez Johnson Jr., a wing from Michigan, with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
After entering the lottery with the eighth-best odds, Dallas ultimately fell one spot and selected ninth overall. While Mavericks fans undoubtedly hoped for better lottery luck, the organization still walked away with a prospect it believes can become an important part of the team’s future alongside franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg.
The selection marks the first lottery pick
made by the Mavericks’ new front-office leadership team of Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, making it one of the most significant moments of the organization’s post-lottery era. After a disappointing 2025-26 season that ended with Dallas missing the playoffs and landing in the lottery, the front office entered the offseason facing enormous pressure to maximize one of the few premium draft assets the franchise controls over the next several years.
Morez Johnson Jr. arrives in Dallas after one of the more interesting pre-draft rises in the 2026 class. A former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American, Johnson entered college with a reputation as a high-motor rebounder and defensive anchor, but his stock climbed significantly throughout the season as scouts became more comfortable projecting his long-term offensive upside. After transferring to Michigan, Johnson quickly established himself as one of the most productive big men in the country, consistently impacting games with his energy, physicality, and relentless activity around the basket. His momentum carried into the pre-draft process, where he was widely viewed as one of the biggest winners of the NBA Combine after posting impressive measurements and athletic testing numbers that further validated his NBA potential. By draft night, Johnson had transformed from a prospect viewed primarily as a traditional center into one of the most intriguing frontcourt players available outside the top tier of the class.
The production backed up the hype. During the 2025-26 season at Michigan, Johnson averaged 12.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting over 60 percent from the field, establishing himself as one of the nation’s most productive interior players. He finished among the country’s leaders in rebounding, recorded seven double-doubles, and consistently provided value on both ends of the floor despite often being the focal point of opposing scouting reports. What makes Johnson particularly appealing is how much of his impact comes without needing plays called for him. Offensive rebounds, rim protection, rim running, lob finishing, and defensive versatility all became major strengths throughout the season. As Michigan made a deep postseason push, Johnson continued to elevate his play against high-level competition, cementing himself as a first-round prospect and one of the safest frontcourt projections in the draft.
The fit with Dallas is immediately intriguing.
The Mavericks entered the draft with several glaring roster needs, particularly in the backcourt and on the defensive end. Throughout last season, Dallas struggled with point-of-attack defense, consistent secondary creation, perimeter athleticism, and lineup versatility. While it remains to be seen exactly how Morez will be utilized, the organization clearly believes he can help address some of those issues moving forward.
More importantly, every major roster decision Dallas makes from this point forward will be viewed through the lens of maximizing Cooper Flagg. The former No. 1 overall pick established himself as one of the brightest young stars in basketball during his rookie season, and the Mavericks now face the challenge of building the right roster around him. Whether through shooting, defense, playmaking, size, athleticism, or positional versatility, Dallas believes Morez Johnson possesses traits that can complement Flagg both immediately and in the long term.
The selection also provides an early glimpse into how Ujiri and Schmitz plan to reshape the roster. Both executives have built strong reputations for talent evaluation and player development throughout their careers, and this draft represented their first major opportunity to put their fingerprints on the organization. While it will take years before the success of this pick can truly be evaluated, it is unquestionably one of the most important decisions of the Mavericks’ offseason.
We’ll have much more on Morez Johnson, including scouting analysis, strengths, weaknesses, player comparisons, and his projected fit with the Mavericks, in the coming hours.
