Former Illini Morez Johnson Jr., Tre White, More Thriving: Will Illinois Miss Them?

Carey Booth, Colorado State

After playing spare minutes in his lone season at Illinois (5.1 minutes per game), Booth transferred to Colorado State in search of a better opportunity. He appears to have gotten it, as the 6-foot-10 forward started in the Rams’ exhibition outing against Creighton, played 30 minutes and put up a near double-double (nine points and nine rebounds). Although Booth helped his squad stay competitive against a tough high-major team, Colorado State did ultimately fall 76-64.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, UNLV

In a situation that mirrors Booth’s, Gibbs-Lawhorn (understandably) bolted for greener pastures – and found them in Sin City. At UNLV, Gibbs-Lawhorn – at least through a pair of exhibition outings – appears to be the Runnin’ Rebels’ ace.

He got comfortable in UNLV's initial outing, going for a team-high 14 points in a loss to Washington, before exploding for 31 points, seven assists (zero turnovers) and three blocks and a steal against Lincoln University in exhibition No. 2. All of that came in just 26 minutes, although Gibbs-Lawhorn's standout performance came against a notably weaker foe (UNLV won 123-59).

Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

OK, we get it, Illini fans. Johnson’s departure – and, more specifically, his ultimate destination – will forever be an open wound. But regardless of school affiliations, everyone can agree on one thing: he is a problem on the court.

And just because Johnson traded orange and blue for UM's maize and blue, that fact doesn’t change. His ability was on full display in Michigan’s exhibition contest against St. John’s – in which he went for 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. As Illini fans know very well, though, Johnson’s impact is felt well beyond the box score.

Coming off the bench in a sixth-man role for the Wolverines (they already have a pair of elite bigs in Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara), Johnson should be not only the best frontcourt reserve in the nation but likely the best player off the bench regardless of position.

Tre White, Kansas

Amid the Johnson fiasco, it feels as though everyone has forgotten about White. His transfer choice – Kansas – may also be a sore spot for Illinois fans, as it's the same school that snatched away Bill Self all those years ago. But his decision, at least from White’s perspective, appears to be the right one so far.

Although it came in a pair of relatively meaningless exhibition contests, the 6-foot-7 wing White did put up 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals in a win over Louisville before adding 12 points and six boards in just 21 minutes against Fort Hays State. Also worth noting: He hit two triples in each outing.

How much is Illinois going to miss its outgoing transfers?

Everyone who departed Champaign appears to be thriving in some manner. But what does that mean for Illinois? On one hand, it feels like Brad Underwood and his staff may have miscalculated. Even if the transfers were ultimately underrated in some way, here’s the reality: The moves were probably all for the best – for every party involved.

Gibbs-Lawhorn – an Illini fan favorite – was all but locked into a reserve role. Booth definitely was. Both transferred down to mid-majors and will likely come through as major contributors for their new programs.

As for White, he appears poised to play a similar role at Kansas, but he may be able to play second fiddle only to Jayhawks star freshman guard Darryn Peterson – a likely upgrade from White's expected role at Illinois had he stayed.

Johnson, though, remains – as Paramore would surely say – the only exception. Sure, he opened the door for David Mirkovic and Zvonimir Ivisic to enter the picture, and the absence of a non-shooting threat in Johnson will create ideal floor spacing for the Illini. Still, Johnson's value is irreplaceable.

Defensively, Johnson is a unicorn. His rebounding – on both ends – is on par with his post defense, rim protection and even his ability in switches outside the paint. His instincts are exceptional, and his motor is contagious in the best possible way. Illinois likely has a similar ceiling in 2025-26 with or without Johnson; it’s just that he had the ability to single-handedly turn some of the Illini's few relative weaknesses into strengths.