The 2026 NBA Draft Combined at Wintrust Arena in Chicago is in full swing. Among the next generation of NBA talent standing out are Michigan's tag team of Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr.
Both have not only stood out, but they have ascended to great heights, with many anticipating them surging up the draft board.
One of those is Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who said on the Clutch Scoops podcast that a scout told him that Mara would move up the draft boards in the top 10 based on the Combine alone.
“Still a lot of time, but 7'3 without shoes on and being able to move as he did in that shuttle run, there's scouts and executives out there drooling, watching Aday Mara participate in the Combine,” Siegel said.
Additionally, ESPN's Sean Farnham included Johnson among his top three takeaways from the Combine. He said Johnson, who could go back to Michigan, can go farther.
“I'm telling you from what I'm hearing after the way he shot the ball and the way he tested, he's a guy that could have the potential to move all the way up into the lottery,” Farnham said.
.@SeanFarnham gives his TOP THREE takeaways from the NBA draft combine 👀⬇️ pic.twitter.com/rW0buSqidF
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 13, 2026
Current NBA Draft predictions have Mara and Johnson in the top 20.
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Meanwhile, Johnson is having fun going through the Combine with fellow Michiganders.
“It’s insane to think about,” Johnson said.
“It’s insane to think about.” @umichbball’s Morez Johnson Jr. spoke with @therealandykatz about being at the NBA Combine with his teammates 🏀 pic.twitter.com/svY5Cp2UCM
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) May 13, 2026
Michigan is coming off a national championship win in April. Johnson finished the season averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and shot 62.3% from the field. Mara averaged 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
The NBA Draft Combine goes from May 10 to 17.
The 2026 NBA Draft Combined at Wintrust Arena in Chicago is in full swing. Among the next generation of NBA talent standing out are Michigan's tag team of Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. Both have not only stood out, but they have ascended to great heights, with many anticipating them surging up the draft board.