This is a pivotal week in Chicago for Michigan draft hopefuls Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. The trio has stood out at the NBA Draft Combine, and all three players continue to improve their draft stock in the eyes of the media, with all three potentially trending toward the lottery.
Michigan head coach Dusty May and his staff are also in Chicago for the second year in a row, supporting their players, networking with agents, and, of course, scouting any potential draft withdrawals who could become available.
The deadline to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft is May 27th — ten days after combine activities end — and that should kick off the final cycle of portal and international recruiting activity.
The Wolverines and Morez Johnson Jr. have left the idea of a return open — but he’s looking like a top-20 pick in this year’s draft.
“We have one spot, we’re just waiting and taking a wait-and-see approach with Morez and certainly anticipating him having a difficult decision because of how well he’s played in Chicago, but we’ll support him,” Dusty May told Andy Katz in an interview at the combine. “And then if he does stay in, we’ll be prepared to pivot. We like our team regardless, but obviously, he raises our ceiling like Yax did last year.”
It’s hard to imagine Johnson returning to school, given that he has an outside chance of cracking the lottery, but Michigan has consistently reiterated that the door is open to a potential return.
Until that door closes — when Johnson officially announces he’s staying in the draft, or the deadline to withdraw passes — the Wolverines will have to continue quietly scouting potential pivots for the “one spot” that May says remains open.
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