The Dallas Mavericks made up their mind with Morez Johnson Jr. as the No. 9 pick in the NBA Draft. Johnson Jr. is as physical as they come, with a high motor to rebound and defend. His offensive game is on the rise, and best of all, he gets to continue working with his college coach, Dusty May.
It's going to be a long ride to get there, but ESPN's Tim MacMahon compared Johnson Jr. to Bam Adebayo and Al Horford. If Johnson can make shots at a high clip and play and defend like a big man, he can become one of those guys one day.
There's plenty of high ceiling here, and it's nice to be in the same conversation as a future Hall of Fame big man and a guy who just got the second-highest scoring performance in NBA history with 83 points.
Morez Johnson Jr. is being compared to Bam Adebayo and Al Horford
Johnson Jr., at just 20 years old, is going to be a force in the paint, and he's going to make his presence known quickly. But if he's able to take his game to Adebayo or Horford, he's going to be a threat for years.
Adebayo is known for finishing, footwork and leadership. He's also an aggressive player who can take the ball up the floor and become a playmaker. Working with May should give him the confidence to take the next level.
Horford is more of a slower body but can finish in the paint. Once he got older, he got better at shooting from deep. Johnson Jr. shot 34 percent from deep last season at Michigan. He can be better in that department, but to be honest, that doesn't need to be his offensive identity.
Johnson can be effective by being aggressive and slashing to the basket. That's all he needs to do for now, and the rest can all come later.
This is all still very early, but this is a great comparison to two future Hall of Fame players, and if Johnson Jr. stays consistent, he can one day live up to MacMahon's pick.
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