2026 NBA Draft: Mavs select Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. with No. 9 pick

DALLAS - The Mavs added Morez Johnson Jr. from Michigan to their future on Tuesday night, selecting a Michigan player to reunite with Dusty May as he prepares to become the head coach in Dallas.

2026 NBA Draft live updates

10:26 p.m.: Mavs trade 30th pick to Suns

It turns out the Mavs won't be making a second first-round selection in this year's NBA Draft.

NBA insiders are reporting the team has traded the selection to the Phoenix Suns, who will select Arizona's Koa Peat.

The Mavs receive the No. 47 pick in this year's NBA Draft, as well as two future second-round picks, in exchange for the 30th overall selection.

9:40 p.m.: Morez Johnson Jr. ready to work

The Mavericks released a short video with newly drafted Morez Johnson Jr., who appears excited to get to work in Dallas.

8:40 p.m.: The Big German makes an appearance.

With the No. 14 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets selected Hannes Steinbach from Washington.

ESPN attempted to play Steinbach a prerecorded message from Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki, but had audio issues during the presentation.

8:00 p.m.: Mavs select Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. with No. 9 pick

On the same day the Mavs announced they had hired Michigan's Dusty May as head coach, the team selected one of his players in the first round of the draft.

With the No. 9 pick, the Mavs took Morez Johnson Jr., a forward who won a national championship with the Wolverines just a few months ago.

Johnson Jr. averaged 13.1 points for the national champions, along with 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game across 40 games played.

He's the first draft pick by new Mavs President Masai Ujiri, and he'll join his college coach in the pros.

7:48 p.m.: Several Mavs targets off the board

Rumored to be interested in a point guard, the Mavs might need to go in a different direction.

With the No. 6 pick, the Clippers took Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. One pick later, the Kings took Arkansas guard Darius Acuff. 

7:23 p.m.: Boozer goes in Mavs' division

The Mavs' upcoming games against their Southwest Division rival Memphis Grizzlies will feature a new foe.

Duke star Cameron Boozer was taken No. 3 overall by the Grizzlies. His father, Carlos Boozer, was a longtime NBA player with the Cavaliers, Jazz, Bulls and Lakers.

The Utah Jazz selected Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick.

7:15 p.m.: Dybantsa goes No. 1 overall

The Washington Wizards selected BYU star AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick.

Dybantsa was widely expected to go with the No. 1 overall pick after he led Division I in scoring during his freshman season in Provo.

7:05 p.m.: 2026 NBA Draft begins

The 2026 NBA Draft is officially underway, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver getting the festivities started.

The Washington Wizards are on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick.

What we know:

The Dallas Mavericks are armed with two first round picks: the No. 9 overall selection and the No. 30 overall selection.

The No. 9 pick is their own, having finished 26-56 during the 2025-26 regular season and falling in the NBA's Draft Lottery from their initial No. 8 slot.

The No. 30 pick was acquired when the Mavs traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards earlier this year.

Whoever the Mavs select, they'll have a chance to play alongside reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and a healthy Kyrie Irving.

Dig deeper:

This NBA Draft will be the first for Masai Ujiri with the Mavs. Ujiri was hired as the team's President of Basketball Operations in early May.

It will also be the first NBA Draft for Dusty May as the Mavs' head coach. His hiring as head coach was announced on Tuesday.

Dallas MavericksNBA