Morez Johnson Jr., a transfer from Illinois who helped Michigan mens basketball win its first national title since 1989, is remaining in this years NBA Draft. The 20-year-old forward publicly bid his farewell to the Wolverines, including head coach Dusty May, on Tuesday.Michigan means everything to me, Johnson wrote in a statement he posted to social media.You want to be somewhere that pushes you, supports you and helps you grow on and off the court. Michigan gave me all of that. From the fans to the alumni base. Its a special place. From Day 1, Coach May talked about development, accountability and competing for championships. Im proud of everything we accomplished together. To my teammates, Coach May, the staff, academic support, teachers and friends thank you. Johnson later added: Im excited for the opportunity to chase my dream of playing in the NBA. Every step of this journey has helped prepare me for this moment. And Im grateful for everyone whos been part of it.AGTG Lets do it pic.twitter.com/tsvUHrjeEm Morez Johnson Jr. (@morezjohnsonJr) May 19, 2026Johnsons announcement arrives in the wake of his impressive performance at the NBA combine in Chicago, where he boosted his draft stock. In a May 18 mock draft, Yahoo Sports Kevin OConnor projected Johnson to be picked next month No. 17 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thats a pick the Thunder obtained from the Philadelphia 76ers.Surrounding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will require the type of guys who are critical to playing championship basketball. That's Morez Johnson, OConnor wrote. He transferred from Illinois to Michigan and became the connective tissue of the national champions as a 251-pound wrecking ball with surprisingly soft hands and the defensive IQ to guard 1 through 5 in a switch-heavy scheme.He's not quite big enough to be a true center and not yet proven enough as a shooter to guarantee he spaces the floor. But even without a jumper, Johnson has a long future ahead of him. And if theres any team that can fix a jumper, its the Thunder.Johnson came to Michigan looking for a chance to make a greater impact than the one he was providing while rim running and being in the dunker spot at Illinois, according to May, who recently spoke with OConnor on The Kevin OConnor Show.The Riverdale, Illinois, native had more responsibilities in a balanced yet potent Wolverines offensive system that produced results in a variety of ways over the course of their 37-win championship season. Johnson started all 40 games amid that memorable campaign, averaging 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He posted a 62.3% field-goal percentage, including a 34.3% clip from 3, albeit on just 35 long-range attempts. Still, that was notable, considering he didnt attempt a single triple the season prior at Illinois.At the NBA combine, Johnson registered the fourth-fastest lane agility time, per ESPN, and a 39-inch max vertical, according to NBA.com.Johnson, a member of this past seasons Big Ten All-Defensive Team, was part of a dominant Michigan frontcourt that also featured Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Aday Mara. In OConnors aforementioned mock draft, he has Mara a 7-foot-3 center going to the Thunder with the 12th pick and Lenderborg a 6-foot-9 forward ending up with the Charlotte Hornets at No. 14 overall.Their departures dont come as a surprise to May, whos already restocked his roster. Notably, he received portal commitments from former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam and former Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella.