Michigan's Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr. have big NBA decisions to make

Michigan basketball's big men have some big decisions to make.

Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr., the two frontcourt starters from the Wolverines' 2025-26 national championship team, both have to determine what they'll do with their remaining eligibility.

Each could come back to college for at least one more season, but both have popped up on NBA mock drafts as likely first round selections.

Michigan center Aday Mara (15), center, and forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21), left, walk off the court after open practice at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Friday, April 3, 2026.

Mara and Johnson have had discussions with their coaches and neither have come to an immediate decision on what their future may hold.

A person with knowledge of the situation that was unable to speak publicly told the Free Press the team does not have clarity on what Johnson and Mara will do next year and thinks "it will be a couple of weeks" before the dust settles and everybody has made a decision.

Much of that will likely rely on the early feedback they get from those around the NBA. They must make a final decision on their NBA status on May 27.

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One NBA evaluator told the Free Press earlier this week they believed Mara "will safely go in [the] top 20" should he enter his name and added the point that "it's a weak center class and he might be the most talented one." Mara averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds as he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and shot a team-best 66.8% from the floor.

The 7-foot-3 Spaniard also set a new school record with 103 blocks in 40 games (2.5 per contest) for U-M and could excite NBA teams not just for his size and touch around the rim, but his passing ability, which includes a knack for deep outlets down the court to start the fastbreak.

Johnson, meanwhile, averaged 13.1 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds for U-M as he greatly expanded his game from his freshman season at Illinois. Johnson entered Ann Arbor as a rim runner and energy player but added elements of touch and skill he didn't have in 2024-25.

Johnson made 12 3-pointers on 34.3% shooting after never having attempted a 3 in college. He also improved from a 61.8% free throw shooter to 78.2%, an important development for someone who plays physically and draws fouls.

If one of the two need a bit more seasoning in college, it's Johnson. He likely needs to prove he can hit 3-pointers at that 34.3% clip or better on more volume as he averaged just less than one attempt per game this year.

Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr. have big NBA decisions to make