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USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Updated Big Ten basketball transfer portal class rankings
Updated Big Ten basketball transfer portal class rankings The Big Ten basketball landscape could be dominated by transfers in the 2025-26 season. Several of the conference's projected top contenders, including Michigan, UCLA and Wisconsin, exit the transfer cycle with new additions set for major lineup roles. The Wolverines' offseason was headlined by the impact additions of UCLA center Aday Mara, Illinois forward Morez Johnson Jr., North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau and UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg (pending an NBA draft decision). Lendeborg has the chance for the greatest impact, as he joins the Wolverines as the No. 1 overall transfer prospect. UCLA, next, added five-star transfer Donovan Dent from New Mexico, former five-star high school recruit Xavier Booker from Michigan State and Jamar Brown from Kansas City. That trio complements a lineup that already returned major contributors from a team that went 23-11 last season. Wisconsin, finally, may have delivered the most underrated transfer cycle of any Big Ten contender. The program added San Diego State guard Nick Boyd, Virginia wing Andrew Rohde, Portland forward Austin Rapp and Tulsa guard Braeden Carrington. The first three are all write-ins to a starting lineup that could be the conference's best if John Blackwell withdraws from the NBA draft. Wisconsin, Michigan and UCLA are all projected top-five teams entering the 2025-26 Big Ten season. They trail Purdue, which is the one major conference contender that did not bring in a crowded transfer class. For more on the early outlook for next season, here are our latest post-transfer cycle power rankings. With the transfer cycle now mostly complete, here is an updated look at 247Sports' team rankings for the Big Ten Conference. Updated Big Ten basketball 2025 transfer portal class rankings Of course, these rankings should be taken with a grain of salt. Wisconsin, for example, landed three highly touted transfers who all project as major contributors. That group may have a similar impact as Indiana's group of 10 transfers, although the volume of transfers in the Hoosiers' class leads to a much higher ranking. Furthermore, transfer rankings are far less accurate than those from the high school recruiting cycle. John Tonje headlines that reality, as he delivered an All-American season after being ranked as the No. 296 overall transfer from last offseason. That is a long way to explain that these rankings don't mean everything. They are just an interesting comparison point to return to once these groups take the court in the fall. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Fighting Illini freshman standout Morez Johnson Jr. headed to Michigan
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — News that freshman big man Morez Johnson Jr. had entered the transfer portal recently was a big blow for Fighting Illini basketball fans. Now an even bigger blow has hit them. He'll soon be playing for one of the Illini's Big Ten Jr. has confirmed on social media that he has committed to the University of Michigan. Johnson played in 30 games for the Fighting Illini this season. He started eight of those games. He averaged seven points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting .642 from the 6'9 Johnson Jr. was Illinois' Mr. Basketball his senior season at Thornton Township in Riverdale. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Richey Didn't see this one coming
Mar. 29—CHAMPAIGN — Morez Johnson Jr. was an anomaly in a college basketball world where commitments can be fleeting. Where prospective recruits can and regularly do change their minds about their basketball futures before ever winding up on a college campus. That wasn't Johnson's path. Advertisement Johnson committed to Illinois just a few months into his sophomore year at St. Rita. Way back in November 2022. A full 1,096 days before he'd ever suit up in an Illini jersey and play on Lou Henson Court. Two years to change his mind before signing and another six-plus months where the ink on that national letter of intent could have been reversed. Johnson was all-in on Illinois. Until he wasn't. The Friday news dumps of all Friday news dumps hit like a hammer when multiple national outlets reported Johnson had entered the transfer portal on Friday afternoon. The second Illinois player to do so in less than 24 hours after Carey Booth's late Thursday night entry into the portal. But losing a part-time starter and what appeared to be a foundational piece for Illinois' future in Johnson was a bit more jarring than the loss of another forward in Booth who couldn't break into the rotation at any point during the season. Advertisement That's what made Friday afternoon's news so stunning. Johnson spent two years committed. One year signed. Then just 30 games with Illinois before opting to move on for a different opportunity. Welcome to college basketball in 2025. Johnson was noncommittal about his future in the aftermath of Illinois' second-round exit in the NCAA tournament last Sunday night after the Illini's 84-75 loss to Kentucky. While teammates like Kylan Boswell, Tre White and Tomislav Ivisic spoke about the Illini's potential in the 2025-26 season as if they'd at least strongly considered they'd be a part of it, Johnson said he was "just taking it day by day." Five days as it turns out for Johnson to do what he didn't in high school. Leave Illinois. Advertisement While Johnson left St. Rita after three seasons, he didn't play his senior year at a prep school that would have offered him a broader national platform. It was a path three of his St. Rita teammates did take, though, with James Brown landing at Link Academy in Missouri, Nojus Indrusaitis leaving for Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and Melvin Bell transferring to La Lumiere in Indiana. Johnson actually wound up closer to home at Thornton, where he delivered a senior season that yielded The News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year and Illinois Mr. Basketball honors in 2024. Staying home — and staying committed to Illinois — endeared him to the Illini fan base. "A lot of players can't say they still stayed in Illinois and had the success I had in Illinois on a national standpoint," Johnson told The News-Gazette last April. "They feel like they have to leave the state to go do things. Personally, I think I did a great job these four years. I stayed. I didn't get too worried about other people. I kept working, kept my head in the right place and focused on my game and got better." Johnson showed the fruits of those labors during what turned out to be his lone season at Illinois. Advertisement The 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward notched his first double-double just 19 days into his college basketball career with 10 points and 13 rebounds in a blowout win against Maryland Eastern Shore. Johnson's playing time off the bench fluctuated a bit in the first 21/2 months of the season before he was inserted into the starting lineup when Ivisic was sidelined with mononucleosis. Johnson wound up starting eight games before breaking his left wrist on Feb. 15 against Michigan State — a stretch where he averaged 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 69 percent from the field. His return for postseason play saw him come off the bench again, and he finished his freshman season averaging seven points and 6.7 rebounds. "In most years Morez, as a freshmen in the Big Ten, the year he had would have had him up for All-Big Ten honors," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said last week in Milwaukee. "This year's freshman class was spectacular in the league, and yet he's had his moments. He's been a consistent rebounder. He's been an elite defender. He's a guy that is not delusional. He's a guy that loves to listen and play, and he's gotten so much better. His impact on our team was very, very evident when we didn't have him." And that was just when Johnson missed a month letting his broken wrist recover. Now, Illinois has to move forward without him for good. Any plans made in the last 10 months — let alone the three years since he committed — are now for naught. Advertisement It makes the Illini's own recruiting and roster building efforts that much more important. Especially when it comes to shaping the frontcourt given Ivisic's status on various NBA draft boards. Johnson's exit puts even more emphasis on getting the 7-foot-1 Croatian Ivisic back to Champaign for a second season. Losing Johnson and Booth also opens the door to adding a new frontcourt piece. That could happen through international recruiting (France's Jonas Boulefaa and Serbia's Aleksa Dimitrijevic both visited this past season) or the portal (Santa Clara' 7-footer Christoph Tilly is the name to know at the moment). It's just more moves and machinations Illinois likely didn't expect to have to make. Not with Johnson's long-term commitment and prominent role as a freshman. But that's college basketball in 2025. Anything is possible, however unlikely it might once seem.
CBS News
22-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Illini expect to have home court advantage against Xavier in first round of NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee
The Fighting Illini's chances of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament should be helped at least a little by getting to start pretty close to home, playing in Milwaukee in the first round against Xavier. With Chicago just 90 miles away the Illini are expecting a decided home crowd advantage from a lot of their fans who made the short road trip to cheer them on in the Big Dance. The band and cheerleaders were making Illini players feel right at home during Thursday's practice. Illini Nation rolls deep, even during the team's inconsistent 2024-25 season, which they finished with a 21-12 overall record. With a fresh start in the NCAA Tournament, the team is hoping to reward their fans' loyalty with a deep run. Freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr., who played high school ball at St. Rita and Thornton High School, is fired up to have his family and friends here to support him. "I know we're going to have a lot of fans. We've got some of the best fans out there. I know they're going to travel for the game. I think that gives us a great advantage, gives us a home field. So I'm excited. I'm excited to show out for them," Johnson said. Guard Tre White is one of the few experienced players on the Illini team. The junior transfer from Louisville has been playing like a veteran lately. In the last six games, White's averaging 16.5 points and 6 rebounds per game, while shooting a smoking hot 57% from three-point range. The Illini won five of those six games heading into the tournament. "The fans coming here are definitely going to give us some extra fire. Seeing and hearing the crowd, and stuff like that is going to make us play harder. It makes it harder for the other team to kind of stay together and locked in. So it's definitely and advantage for us; a blessing," White said. Xavier essentially played a home game in Wednesday's First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, when they rallied to beat Texas. However, it was a quick turnaround to get to Milwaukee for Friday night's tipoff against the Illini, so it remains to be seen if the Musketeers' adrenaline carries them to a win over Illinois, or if fatigue will be a factor. In 12 of the last 13 years, at least one of the First Four winners has advanced to the second round of the tournament. The Illini hope the Musketeers don't continue that trend.
USA Today
17-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Illinois will be without one of its leading rebounders for Tuesday's game at Wisconsin
The Illinois Fighting Illini will be without forward Morez Johnson Jr. when they visit the Wisconsin Badgers on Tuesday night. Johnson Jr. has been ruled out indefinitely with a broken wrist, according to head coach Brad Underwood. The injury occurred late in the second half of the team's 79-65 loss to Michigan State on Saturday. Johnson rose to block a shot in transition and was undercut by the offensive player, causing him to fall with his entire weight on his wrist and hand. Here is the play. The standout freshman forward went on to play the rest of the game, recording three rebounds and a steal. He has since been ruled out indefinitely. The absence is significant for Illinois' chances both on Tuesday and through the rest of the season. Johnson Jr. accounts for 7.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He's the team's second-leading rebounder, slotted only behind center Tomislav Ivisic (8.5 rebounds per game). Illinois as a team is second in the nation in rebounding, corralling a whopping 56.9% of the missed shot opportunities. That interior dominance defines the team's identity and success to date. Rebounding, by no surprise, helped to decide Illinois' narrow win over Wisconsin earlier this season. The Fighting Illini grabbed 40 rebounds to Wisconsin's 29, creating a mismatch that was only furthered by the Badgers going just 14-of-21 from the free-throw line. The area is arguably the biggest key to a Wisconsin win in Tuesday's rematch. Without Johnson Jr. on the court, the Badgers should be better equipped to handle their rival's dominant interior production. Wisconsin is up to No. 11 in the AP Poll following its signature win over Purdue on Saturday. Illinois, meanwhile, is down in the 'receiving votes' section after going just 5-5 in its last 10 games. The two teams are set for an 8:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. CT tipoff from the Kohl Center. Wisconsin is looking to end a nine-game losing streak to Illinois. Watch for how the game is contested on the glass, plus for how much of an impact Johnson Jr.'s absence has, if any. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
