USA Basketball & Illinois Athletics

May 15, 2024

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Incoming Fighting Illini freshman Morez Johnson Jr. has been selected as one of 30 players set to compete at the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team training camp, beginning May 23 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.

Johnson, a 6-foot-9-inch, 225-pound power forward, will compete among the best players in the nation in the graduating classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026, vying for a spot on the 12-member team that will represent USA Basketball at the 2024 Men’s U18 AmeriCup, June 3-9, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A native of Riverdale, Ill., Johnson was selected as the 2024 Illinois Mr. Basketball and Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year following his senior season at Thornton Township High School. As a senior, he averaged 20 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three steals while leading the Wildcats to a 25-9 record. Johnson signed with the Illinois program last November. He is the top-ranked player in the state and a consensus national top-30 recruit with four-star ratings from Rivals (26), On3 (28), ESPN (28) and 247Sports (29).

Johnson was a part of the 2024 USA Men’s Junior National Select Team and helped lead the U.S. to victory over the World Select Team with eight points, four rebounds and a block in 12 minutes of action at the 25^th Nike Hoop Summit in April. Johnson also participated at the 2023 USA Men’s Junior National Team minicamp last October and attended training camp for the 2022 USA Men’s U17 National Team.

The class of 2024 includes Daniel Jacobsen, Tre Johnson, Morez Johnson Jr., Patrick Ngongba II and Jayden Quaintance.

From the class of 2025 are Darius Acuff Jr., Nate Ament, Mikel Brown Jr., Nikola Bundalo, Jerry Easter II, Jeremiah Fears, Jeremiah Green, Hudson Greer, Shelton Henderson, Jasper Johnson, Jamier Jones, Nikolas Khamenia, Nyk Lewis, Jack McCaffery, Trey McKenney, Malachi Moreno, Mazi Mosley, Xavion Staton, Meleek Thomas, Sadiq White, Sebastian Williams-Adams and Caleb Wilson.

Alex Constanza, Kaden House and Kalek House will attend from the class of 2026.

Training camp will be led by 2024 USA Men’s U18 National Team head coach Tommy Lloyd (University of Arizona) and assistant coaches Grant McCasland (Texas Tech University) and Micah Shrewsberry (University of Notre Dame). Assisting as court coaches during the opening phase of training camp will be Justin Gray (Coastal Carolina University), Ben McCollum (Drake University), Josh Schertz (St. Louis University) and Jon Scheyer (Duke University). All four court coaches will make their USA Basketball coaching debuts.

FIBA recently announced that USA Basketball will open Group B play with Argentina, Belize and Brazil at the 2024 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup. The U.S. men will take on Argentina in their opening game on June 3. The Americans hold a 12-1 record against the Argentineans. On June 4, the USA will face Belize, who are set to compete at the event for the first time. Group B play closes with Brazil on June 5 with the U.S. looking to improve to 11-0 all-time.