Former Illinois basketball center makes Team USA U19

Team USA unveiled its U19 roster for the 2025 FIBA World Cup in Switzerland, and former Illinois basketball big man Morez Johnson Jr. has earned a spot. Johnson will represent Team USA alongside some of the nation’s top young talent before heading to Ann Arbor for his sophomore season at Michigan.

The U19 FIBA World Cup tips off on June 28th, with Team USA opening group play against Australia. The tournament will conclude with the championship game on Sunday, July 6th.

The roster features a blend of 17 to 19-year-olds, with Johnson being one of four 19-year-olds selected. Among the standout names joining him are potential future NBA #1 picks AJ Dybantsa (ranked #1 in the 2025 class) and Tyran Stokes (ranked #1 in the 2026 class).

All the best for the future

Johnson is no stranger to international competition. He helped lead Team USA to gold at the U18 AmeriCup in Argentina, where he led the tournament in rebounding with an average of nine boards per game.

Following a strong freshman campaign at Illinois, where he appeared in 30 games and averaged seven points and 6.7 rebounds despite battling a late-season wrist injury, Johnson’s sophomore season was highly anticipated. After coming back from the wrist injury, fans continued to fall in love with Johnson Jr’s hustle, motor, and athleticism. However, Johnson Jr. and his camp had some significant qualms with the way that Illinois basketball was trending. They were concerned that Morez would have a limited role of rim running and rebounding while Tomislav Ivisic is allowed more perimeter freedom and playmaking. 

Although he was likely in line for a starting role in Champaign, the Illinois native opted to transfer to Michigan. He’ll return to Champaign this winter when the Wolverines visit during Big Ten play. Get ready for quite the crowd during that game.

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