Wisconsin basketball transfer portal target commits to a Big Ten rival

Illinois transfer forward Morez Johnson Jr. committed to Michigan on Tuesday evening.

Wisconsin was reportedly among a large group of programs to express interest in Johnson after he entered the portal on March 28. The Badgers’ pursuit appeared to stop there, as Johnson excluded them from his list of six finalists. That list, reported by Jon Rothstein on Tuesday morning, included the Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, Kansas Jayhawks, Tennessee Volunteers, Arkansas Razorbacks and Kentucky Wildcats.

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Almost exactly seven hours after Rothstein’s report, Johnson announced his commitment to the Wolverines.

The standout forward averaged 17.6 minutes, seven points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 30 appearances as a freshman at Illinois in 2024-25. He originally joined the program as a four-star recruit, ranked as the No. 30 overall player in the class of 2024 and the top recruit from Illinois.

He now joins a Michigan program that recently saw its 2024-25 season end with a Sweet 16 loss to top-seed Auburn. The team is losing veteran center Vladislav Goldin (27.5 minutes, 16.6 points, seven rebounds per game) to graduation, creating a major need in the frontcourt. Johnson fills that void. His commitment also directly follows Michigan’s landing of North Carolina point guard Eliot Cadeau, continuing an impressive transfer recruiting stretch from head coach Dusty May.