- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,197,736
- Reaction score
- 59
After leading Michigan basketball to a historic season, it seemed only fitting that Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara made history one last time.
Within the span of 20 minutes and four picks, all three Wolverines heard their names called in the top 12 of the NBA Draft and became the first trio of lottery selections in the same draft in program history.
“It's crazy. I'm so happy for those guys,” Johnson said. “We talked about it during the season. We got our ultimate goal of winning the national championship and we just got drafted together, all lottery picks.”
The celebratory night made Michigan the fifth program to have at least three lottery selections in a single draft since the lottery expanded to 14 picks in 2004, joining North Carolina (2005), Florida (2007), Kentucky (2010, 2015, 2017) and Duke (2019, 2025).
It’s also just the second time Michigan has ever had three first-round selections in the same draft, a feat that was first accomplished when Rumeal Robinson (No. 10), Loy Vaught (No. 13) and Terry Mills (No. 16) were taken in 1990.
Tuesday’s lottery run began with Johnson coming off the board at No. 9 to the Dallas Mavericks and reuniting with Dusty May hours after he announced as the franchise’s new head coach.
“I was insanely shocked when I saw Dusty was going to be coach of the Mavs. I did not see it coming at all. And now for him to be my coach again, I'm excited,” said Johnson, who averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds as Michigan’s tone-setter.
“We won a national championship together. I can't wait to get there and go to work with him again and ultimately win again.”
When the Mavericks were on the clock, Lendeborg was hoping he’d get the chance to play for May in Dallas. Alas, that opportunity went to another Wolverine.
“I'm definitely mad at Dusty because we know who his favorite is right now,” Lendeborg joked. “But I'm happy it was Morez. If it was anybody other than a Michigan guy, I might have blocked coach, for real.
“I'm super happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it, and he's going to be a great pro, for sure.”
Lendeborg said in a group chat with Johnson and Mara heading into the draft, they were predicting who was going to go first and where they’d all end up. Johnson guessed he was going to be the last of the three picked.
“It's funny that he went first,” said Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American who led Michigan in scoring (15.1 points) and steals (45). “He’s got the first dinner no matter what.”
More: Yaxel Lendeborg gives Draymond Green rivalry jab as Warriors draftee
Lendeborg, though, didn’t have to wait much longer. He came off the board two picks later, with the Golden State Warriors taking him at No. 11. Right after Lendeborg, Mara went to the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12.
With Mara’s selection, Michigan became the first team to have three non-freshman lottery picks since Florida in 2007 and the first Big Ten team to have three picks inside the top 15 since Indiana in 1976.
It also marked the seventh time in NBA Draft history that a school had three players taken in the top 12 in the same draft, a short list that includes Duke (2019, 2025), Kentucky (2015), Florida (2007), UNLV (1991) and Indiana (1976).
“It means a lot. It means everything,” said Mara, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year who averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while anchoring the nation’s top-rated defense.
“It means that the year Michigan had was huge for us, for the program, for the university. I’ve got to say this is not going to be possible if don’t have the team that we had, the teammates that we had.”
Together, Johnson, Lendeborg and Mara formed the best frontcourt in college basketball and led one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. They powered the Wolverines to their most wins in program history (37), a Big Ten record for conference wins (19), a Big Ten regular-season title and the program’s first national championship since 1989.
And together, they set another program mark to put a capper on their unforgettable year at Michigan.
“I'm proud of my brothers,” Johnson said. “I'm very excited to see what our future has for us.”
[email protected]
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan basketball makes history with three lottery picks in NBA Draft
Continue reading...
Within the span of 20 minutes and four picks, all three Wolverines heard their names called in the top 12 of the NBA Draft and became the first trio of lottery selections in the same draft in program history.
“It's crazy. I'm so happy for those guys,” Johnson said. “We talked about it during the season. We got our ultimate goal of winning the national championship and we just got drafted together, all lottery picks.”
You must be registered for see images attach
The celebratory night made Michigan the fifth program to have at least three lottery selections in a single draft since the lottery expanded to 14 picks in 2004, joining North Carolina (2005), Florida (2007), Kentucky (2010, 2015, 2017) and Duke (2019, 2025).
It’s also just the second time Michigan has ever had three first-round selections in the same draft, a feat that was first accomplished when Rumeal Robinson (No. 10), Loy Vaught (No. 13) and Terry Mills (No. 16) were taken in 1990.
Tuesday’s lottery run began with Johnson coming off the board at No. 9 to the Dallas Mavericks and reuniting with Dusty May hours after he announced as the franchise’s new head coach.
“I was insanely shocked when I saw Dusty was going to be coach of the Mavs. I did not see it coming at all. And now for him to be my coach again, I'm excited,” said Johnson, who averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds as Michigan’s tone-setter.
“We won a national championship together. I can't wait to get there and go to work with him again and ultimately win again.”
When the Mavericks were on the clock, Lendeborg was hoping he’d get the chance to play for May in Dallas. Alas, that opportunity went to another Wolverine.
“I'm definitely mad at Dusty because we know who his favorite is right now,” Lendeborg joked. “But I'm happy it was Morez. If it was anybody other than a Michigan guy, I might have blocked coach, for real.
“I'm super happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it, and he's going to be a great pro, for sure.”
Lendeborg said in a group chat with Johnson and Mara heading into the draft, they were predicting who was going to go first and where they’d all end up. Johnson guessed he was going to be the last of the three picked.
“It's funny that he went first,” said Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American who led Michigan in scoring (15.1 points) and steals (45). “He’s got the first dinner no matter what.”
More: Yaxel Lendeborg gives Draymond Green rivalry jab as Warriors draftee
Lendeborg, though, didn’t have to wait much longer. He came off the board two picks later, with the Golden State Warriors taking him at No. 11. Right after Lendeborg, Mara went to the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12.
With Mara’s selection, Michigan became the first team to have three non-freshman lottery picks since Florida in 2007 and the first Big Ten team to have three picks inside the top 15 since Indiana in 1976.
It also marked the seventh time in NBA Draft history that a school had three players taken in the top 12 in the same draft, a short list that includes Duke (2019, 2025), Kentucky (2015), Florida (2007), UNLV (1991) and Indiana (1976).
“It means a lot. It means everything,” said Mara, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year who averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while anchoring the nation’s top-rated defense.
“It means that the year Michigan had was huge for us, for the program, for the university. I’ve got to say this is not going to be possible if don’t have the team that we had, the teammates that we had.”
Together, Johnson, Lendeborg and Mara formed the best frontcourt in college basketball and led one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. They powered the Wolverines to their most wins in program history (37), a Big Ten record for conference wins (19), a Big Ten regular-season title and the program’s first national championship since 1989.
And together, they set another program mark to put a capper on their unforgettable year at Michigan.
“I'm proud of my brothers,” Johnson said. “I'm very excited to see what our future has for us.”
[email protected]
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan basketball makes history with three lottery picks in NBA Draft
Continue reading...
