NBA Draft

Michigan Prospects Shine in Commanding Victory vs. Illinois

The Wolverines walked into Champaign and took care of business, led by three NBA Draft prospects.
Jed Katz|
Feb 27, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Feb 27, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Total domination. If there was one thing you had to take away from Michigan's 84-70 win over Illinois on Friday night, that was it. The No. 3 team in the country came into Champaign ready to make a statement, and the Wolverines passed this test with flying colors.

The Fighting Illini struggled to create any efficient offense, which speaks to Michigan's defense, considering Illinois is first in offensive rating (KenPom). On the other end, the road team was getting everything it wanted, especially from three NBA Draft prospects.

Aday Mara has been a great supplementary piece, protecting the paint and getting active as an off-ball weapon to catch lobs and finish inside. He became the star of the show on Friday, dropping 19 points, five rebounds and two blocks.

It's extremely hard to stop the 7-foot-3 Spaniard. Not just his height, but Mara's length poses so many problems for defenders, as he reaches over for highlight dunks and easy layups. The junior finished shooting 8-for-9 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line.

Morez Johnson Jr. might have been the MVP of the match, returning to the school he played for last season and making a statement. Amid the hostility from fans, the bruising forward put up 19 points and 11 rebounds, his seventh double-double of the season.

Johnson was active following shots and scoring inside, but he also managed to hit a three and go 6-for-8 from the line. He has the chance to carve out a long NBA career if he can build upon his ability to crash the glass and defend at 6-foot-9.

Of course, Yaxel Lendeborg has to be mentioned, as the superstar recorded a solid 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. He wasn't so much of a scorer as he was a ball-stopper, guarding Illinois' Keaton Wagler. The freshman put up 23 points, but did so on 7-of-17 shooting from the field with four turnovers.

Lendeborg poses the most NBA potential despite already being 23 years old. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, his two-way potential is high, while also being able to score at all three levels.

Johnson and Mara are projected to go No. 25 and 26 in Draft Digest's latest NBA mock draft. Meanwhile, Lendeborg sits at No. 12, being a player who can use his experience to immediately impact a contender or at least carve out an important role on a bottom-feeder.

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Jed Katz
JED KATZ

Jed is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism. He also contributes at several other basketball outlets, including has his own basketball blog and podcast — The Sixth Man Report.

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