The 2026 NBA Draft will be remembered as a watershed moment for Michigan basketball, as three Wolverines heard their names called among the first dozen picks.
Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara were selected ninth, eleventh and twelfth respectively, becoming the first trio of lottery selections from the same Michigan program in a single draft.
Johnson, a 6‑foot‑9 forward celebrated for his rebounding and mid‑range game, will head to Dallas where he will reunite with his former coach Dusty May, now an assistant with the Mavericks.
Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year, landed with Golden State, while Mara, the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, was snapped up by Oklahoma City. Their respective skill sets — Lendeborg’s scoring versatility and Mara’s shot‑blocking presence — are expected to fill immediate needs for their new clubs.
A New Era for the Wolverines
The achievement builds on a season in which Michigan posted a program‑record 37 victories, captured the Big Ten title with 19 conference wins and ultimately secured the national championship.
It marks the first time since 1990 that the Wolverines have had three first‑rounders in the same draft, a milestone that links the current generation to earlier stars such as Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught and Terry Mills.
Beyond the individual selections, the draft underscores the program’s ability to develop talent that appeals to NBA franchises, reinforcing Michigan’s reputation as a pipeline for professional basketball.