MACAO — Morez Johnson Jr. said Thursday that P.J. Washington is the veteran he goes to whenever he is confused, while Washington said the Dallas Mavericks rookie’s potential is amazing and has embraced a mentorship role with the No. 9 pick.
Dallas drafted Johnson ninth overall in June. He started all 40 games for Michigan’s national championship team last season under Dusty May, now the Mavericks’ coach, and averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 62.3% from the field.
The Mavericks open the preseason against the Houston Rockets on Friday at The Venetian Arena, in what would be Johnson’s first NBA game. The teams play again Sunday.
Morez Johnson Jr. Says P.J. Washington Is His Go-To Mentor
Dallas has veteran frontcourt players such as Daniel Gafford and Dwight Powell in camp. Johnson’s questions go mostly to one place.
“I feel like I’m always asking PJ questions. Going up to PJ, asking him questions,” Johnson said. “Like if I’m confused about anything, I just make sure I go up to PJ and ask him about it. And he fill the blank in for me, help me out.”
Washington Embraces Mentorship Role
Washington, 28, is entering his eighth NBA season. He has tried to be there for the little questions, and he sees a rookie who can already defend more than one spot.
“I think the potential for him is amazing. Obviously, he’s a great player. He can defend multiple positions,” Washington said. “I just try to give him advice. Any question he has, I try to answer it honestly. I mean, obviously I’ve been in the league for a little bit, so all the little questions he has, I just try to be there for him, mentor him, and just tell him it’s going to be a long season. A lot of ups and downs, but just stick with it and things will obviously turn out your way.”
Washington averaged 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 56 games last season. Dallas acquired him from Charlotte in February 2024.
Johnson Learning How To Fit Around Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg
Johnson has not spent much time on the floor with Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg. What he has picked up so far is that neither one needs many ball screens, so his job is to move without the ball. Johnson said he is “making sure I cut for them, help them get open, just being a great connector, a great teammate.”
The system around them is familiar to Johnson after a season with May in Ann Arbor. He has watched the rest of the roster pick it up quickly.
“Dusty has some concepts that he lives by, and I think as a team we’ve been learning from him and applying them to the court,” Johnson explained. “So I would say we’re all just getting better and experiencing concepts. I’m familiar with it because I was there last year with him, but I think a lot of guys are catching on pretty fast and applying it very fast as well.”
At Summer League in Las Vegas, Johnson totaled 37 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 blocks across Dallas’ first two games before missing the final three with an illness.
After Sunday’s game, the Mavericks return home for preseason games Oct. 14 and Oct. 16. The regular season opens Oct. 21 at Houston.
