Dusty May Effect: Dallas Mavericks Reunite With Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. as Three Wolverines Land in the Lottery

Draft night in the NBA has a way of producing full-circle moments, but what unfolded for the Dallas Mavericks and head coach Dusty May on Thursday was something truly special. Less than six hours after the Mavericks officially introduced May as their new head coach, Dallas used the ninth overall pick to select Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., one of May's own players from the national championship run that captivated college basketball this past season. It was a reunion that stunned the basketball world and set the tone for what proved to be a historic night for the Michigan Wolverines program.

Dallas Doubles Down on the Dusty May Era

The optics alone were remarkable. The ink was barely dry on May's contract when the Mavericks stepped to the podium and called Johnson's name, instantly signaling the organization's full commitment to May's vision and the culture he built in Ann Arbor. For Dallas, this wasn't just a basketball decision. It was a statement. The Mavericks are building something, and they want the players who already know how to win under May's system to be at its foundation.

Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward, started all 40 games for Michigan last season, averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. A transfer from Illinois, he emerged as one of the cornerstones of Michigan's dominant defensive unit and helped lead the Wolverines to a national championship. While many projections had him sliding to the late first round throughout the pre-draft process, Johnson dramatically elevated his stock over the final weeks before the draft — enough for Dallas to pull the trigger at No. 9.

Johnson on Reuniting With May: 'It's Insane'

Johnson didn't hide his emotions when asked about linking back up with the man who coached him to a national title.

"I was insanely shocked when I saw Dusty was going to be coach of the Mavs. I did not see it coming at all," Johnson said. "And now for him to be my coach again, I'm excited. It's insane. We just won a national championship together. I can't wait to get there and go to work with him again and ultimately win again."

Johnson also made clear he is eager to share the floor with last season's Rookie of the Year, Cooper Flagg.

"I think it can get dangerous, us two on the court at the same time," he said. "I've been playing against Coop for a very long time. I'm very excited and happy that I'm on the same side as him."

A Johnson and Flagg pairing in Dallas gives the Mavericks two long, versatile forwards who can defend multiple positions, exactly the kind of modern NBA frontcourt that wins in the playoffs.

Lendeborg's Emotional Journey to Golden State

Two picks after Johnson's selection, the Michigan draft night story grew even richer. Yaxel Lendeborg, a versatile 6-foot-9 forward and consensus All-American, was taken by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick. Lendeborg's path to the lottery was anything but traditional. He began his college career at the junior college level at Arizona Western before spending two seasons at UAB, where he primarily played center, and then transferring to Michigan, where May repositioned him as a small forward and helped him blossom into a first-round talent.

The Big Ten Player of the Year averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in his lone season with the Wolverines. But Lendeborg's story transcended statistics on draft night. With his mother, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, seated beside him during the ESPN broadcast, Lendeborg delivered one of the most heartfelt moments of the evening.

"That kid got here because of her," he said. "She pushed a dream. Forced me to go out there and step into the world and become a man. I had no choice but to go out there and do the best I could."

Aday Mara Caps a Historic Night for Michigan

The Wolverines' draft night dominance was complete when the Oklahoma City Thunder selected 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara with the 12th pick, making Michigan the third reigning national champion to place three players in the lottery since the lottery era began in 1985. Mara, a native of Spain, spent his first two college seasons at UCLA before transferring to Michigan, where he broke out as a junior under May's guidance.

Averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, Mara earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors and was widely considered the most technically skilled center in the entire draft class.

"Everything that I've done during my life since I was a kid, going to college, playing pro in Spain, all these things that really helped me to get where I'm at," Mara said on the broadcast. "I'm really happy that I did it."

A Night That Belongs to Michigan, and Dusty May

When the dust settled on the lottery portion of the 2026 NBA Draft, one program stood above the rest. Michigan produced three lottery picks in a single night — a testament to the culture Dusty May built in his first and only season leading the Wolverines. Johnson, Lendeborg, and Mara each took different roads to Ann Arbor, but they all arrived at the same destination: the biggest stage in basketball.

For Dallas, landing Johnson less than six hours after hiring May is the kind of alignment that franchise-building dreams are made of. The Mavericks didn't just hire a head coach on Tuesday; they signaled a direction. And on draft night, they backed it up in the most emphatic way possible.