Mavericks Drafting Morez Johnson Over Yaxel Lendeborg Already Looks Like Mistake

The Dallas Mavericks had a great opportunity on their hands in the 2026 NBA Draft. Their new head coach, Dusty May, was coming off a college national championship at Michigan. He knew the draft pool as well as anyone. Things set up nicely to get Cooper Flagg a running mate for years to come. The Mavs had the No. 9 overall pick, maybe just outside the clear stars available on the board but certainly with a chance to add a player with great talent and potential. Dallas opted for Morez Johnson Jr., who had played for May at Michigan.