Michigan's Big Three frontcourt leads nation's best

Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. have meshed perfectly to power the Wolverines' historic season

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Michigan's frontcourt trio of Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. have come together from vastly different paths to form what is widely regarded as the best frontcourt in the nation. Despite initial doubts about how they would fit together, the three have adapted their games and meshed perfectly to power the Wolverines' historic 24-1 start to the season.

Why it matters

Michigan's dominant frontcourt has been a key factor in the team's best-ever start and their rise to the top of the Big Ten standings. The trio's unselfishness, complementary skills, and commitment to winning have made them a formidable force that has silenced early doubters.

The details

Mara, Lendeborg and Johnson all arrived in Ann Arbor via different routes, with Lendeborg coming from Spain via California and Johnson leaving Illinois for Michigan. Despite initial adjustments, the three have learned to thrive together, with Lendeborg developing his 3-point shot, Johnson's elite rebounding, and Mara's shot-blocking prowess. They have formed a frontcourt that is widely considered the best in the nation, with each averaging 10-15 points, 7+ rebounds, and over 1 block per game.

  • Mara and Johnson committed to Michigan in April 2025, with Lendeborg joining them nearly 50 days later in June.
  • The trio struggled to mesh early, losing an exhibition game to Cincinnati and starting the regular season with a clunky offense.
  • Things clicked for the three in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving week, as they combined for 35, 37 and 44 points in three straight wins over top opponents.
  • As of mid-February, the Wolverines are 24-1 overall and 14-1 in the Big Ten, with four top-12 teams remaining on the regular-season schedule.

The players

Aday Mara

A 7-foot-3 center who is top-10 in the nation in block rate and averaging career highs in points, rebounds, blocks and minutes.

Yaxel Lendeborg

A 7-foot forward who was the No. 1 player in the transfer portal last summer, but has sacrificed individual stats to help the team, becoming a capable 3-point shooter.

Morez Johnson Jr.

A 6-foot-10 forward who is shooting 69.4% on 2-pointers, a mark that would be No. 2 in Michigan history, and has elite rebounding instincts.

Dusty May

Michigan's head coach, who trusted that the three big men could mesh together despite initial doubts from others.

Kyle Church

Michigan's general manager, who described Johnson's work ethic as "maniacal" just a month after he arrived on campus.

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What they’re saying

“I already said this like three times, but I don't think there's a frontcourt that's better than ours. I'll go to war with these guys every day about it.”

— Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan forward (Detroit Free Press)

“When one of them committed and then the next one committed, they were both told by everyone that they couldn't work. 'Why would you do that? You're not going to play.' ... When we got all three of them, then it became overload. ... All the original schools recruiting them all circled back to that 'You can't play together.'”

— Dusty May, Michigan head coach (Detroit Free Press)

“Morez is a super-tough guy on the court man, but off the court, he's really just a soft teddy bear. When you talk to him a little bit, he's really just a sweetie.”

— Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan forward (Detroit Free Press)

What’s next

The Wolverines face four more top-12 opponents in the next 20 days, including No. 12 Purdue, No. 6 Duke, No. 7 Illinois, and No. 10 Michigan State. Their performance against this gauntlet of ranked foes will go a long way in determining their seeding and path in the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Michigan's frontcourt trio of Mara, Lendeborg and Johnson have silenced early doubters and proven to be the best in the nation, powering the Wolverines' historic season. Their unselfishness, complementary skills and commitment to winning have made them a formidable force that has Michigan poised for a deep NCAA Tournament run.