Brad Underwood's Thoughts on Morez Johnson Jr. Before Illinois Faces Michigan

Underwood weighed in on former Illini big man Johnson, who will suit up as an opposing player against Illinois for the first time on Friday

Jan 17, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood before the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Friday night in Champaign may feature a top-10 clash with notable seeding implications for March Madness, but the team matchup, albeit extremely intriguing, may not be the main story line. The top headline might be the return of Morez Johnson Jr. to his former stomping grounds.

Johnson – the current Michigan forward who committed to Illinois at the beginning of his sophomore year of high school and spent his freshman campaign with the Illini – didn’t just meet expectations in Champaign. He arguably surpassed them.

It seemed an afterthought that Johnson would return following Illinois’ Round of 32 loss to Kentucky in 2025. He was promising but not yet pro-ready, and his rebounding and defense made him an exceptional fit with the Illini. Instead, he shocked the college hoops world by hitting the transfer portal and eventually committing to Michigan.

Now Johnson is set to walk back into the State Farm Center for the first time since his departure, this time as one of the nation’s premier two-way players, and as a member of the No. 3 team in the country. Here’s what Illinois head coach Brad Underwood had to say about Johnson:

Illinois' Brad Underwood on Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr.

Feb 24, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) dunks in the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

“Morez is an unbelievable kid,” Underwood said on Thursday. “I just love him to death. And his time here was, I hope, just as beneficial for him as he was for us. I always look at guys, while we have them, they’re part of our family. They make decisions for whatever the reasons, and you wish them well."

Anyone expecting Underwood to trash Johnson for "betraying" the Illini or choosing his own interests over those of the team isn't going to get the sound bite they're looking for.

“I don’t begrudge anybody," Underwood said. "In today’s world, I hope I’m not that petty. But he’s a very talented player. I told their coach [Dusty May] in the summer: ‘I think he’s a future pro.’ Somebody else will decide that. But he’s tough, he plays very hard and he’s impacted that team.”

In the current landscape of college sports, transfer-portal losses are an expectation of any offseason. And although Johnson wasn’t expected to fall into that category for the Illini, he ultimately did. That said, Underwood appears to recognize the reality: players must choose the best path for themselves.

Johnson decided his route would take him to Ann Arbor, Michigan. And based on the results to date, it clearly has been a choice that has paid off for the sophomore big man. 

“Doing a lot of the same things,” Underwood said of how Johnson’s game has progressed during his college career. “Plays a lot of dribble hand-offs. He’s an elite roller. He’s a very, very good shot-blocker. I’ve said this: I think he’s one of the best out-of-position rebounders that I coached – especially for a guy that just had one year as a freshman.

“He’s got a great motor. He competes. And he’s doing a lot of the same things on the offensive side that we were doing here. I think he’s taken a few more threes with them. But, systemically, a lot of the same things.”