How Illinois Transfers Are Faring: Morez Johnson Jr., Tre White and Others

Carey Booth, Colorado State

Four games in, and the Carey Booth-Colorado State union has been a dream come true for both parties. The Rams are 4-0, with each win coming by double digits. Meanwhile, Booth is producing in a big way: 12.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, plus 56.5 percent shooting from the field and 54.5 percent from long distance (1.5 threes per game), in just 23.3 minutes per game.

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, UNLV

Other than poor efficiency from beyond the arc (21.7 percent) and a little bit of foul trouble (a 17-minute foul-out against Memphis), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn has been nearly flawless for UNLV. The 6-foot-1 guard has seamlessly transitioned into a go-to role, averaging 15.3 points per game and 3.0 assists for the Runnin’ Rebels.

Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

Already a proven product at the Big Ten level, Johnson was expected to come out of the gate and be a key piece of Michigan’s attack – and he has been exactly that. Averaging 14.7 points (on 63.3 percent shooting from the field), 7.7 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block, Johnson is the same two-way menace he was at Illinois – just on a broader scale.

His free-throw percentage has leapt from 61.8 percent last year as a freshman to a solid 75.0 percent through three games as a sophomore. Johnson has even attempted a pair of threes on the season, and although he didn’t connect on either, the solid stroke and uptick in efficiency from the charity stripe are signs that his jumper could become a respectable threat.

Tre White, Kansas

A steady presence who has consistently brought production on a night-to-night basis throughout his four-year career, White has kept it going at Kansas. A 6-foot-7 wing, White is averaging 14.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He has been quite efficient (58.3 percent from the field) in his role as a secondary option for ultra-talented freshman Darryn Peterson.

And in Peterson’s recent absence, White has carried a heavier load without a hitch, scoring 17.0 points, grabbing 7.6 rebounds and dishing out 2.7 assists all while maintaining that high clip from the field, shooting 14-for-23 (60.9 percent) over those three games.