It wasn’t quite the prolific season that Jett Howard had hoped for, but he did have one year to be coached by his father, Michigan basketball head coach Juwan Howard, at the college level.
Jett Howard was a high-profile recruit coming out of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, and while he was a Michigan legacy, he strongly considered Tennessee before ultimately coming to Ann Arbor. His talent was obvious, but he was often stymied by a rash of injuries as well as streaky play. However, he was undeniable when fully healthy.
Michigan knew that in the younger Howard brother (Juwan’s other son, Jace, is a forward on the team) that it likely had a one-year rental, and that ended up being the case as he entered the NBA draft after his freshman campaign.
Howard averaged 14.2 points per game in 29 games, along with 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists a game. He appeared live in Brooklyn for the 2023 NBA draft and that paid off, as the shooting guard was selected in the first round by the Orlando Magic at No. 11 overall — making him a lottery pick.
He joins former Wolverines Moe and Franz Wagner who are currently on the Magic.
Sources: Orlando is selecting Jett Howard at No. 11. https://t.co/Z8rZKX2Rl3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2023
The profile from NBA.com on Howard:
Overview
Jett Howard is the son of Juwan Howard, a former NBA All-Star, who coached him at Michigan. Howard started 28 of his 29 appearances as a one-and-done freshman, averaging 14.2 points (on 41/37/80% shooting splits), 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.7 minutes per game. Those numbers earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Third Team and the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. He posted season highs of 34 points, seven 3-pointers, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and four blocks. Before college, Howard was a four-star recruit and was invited to both the Jordan Brand Classic and Iverson Roundball Classic.
Analysis
Howard is first and foremost a 3-point shooter, whether it be off of standstill catch-and-shoots or even movement with the basketball. He can also pump-fake and drive into mid-rangers and floaters, but if help defense pushes up, his passing ability helps create good looks for his teammates. Howard’s good length for a wing allows him to shoot over contests.
Projection
Howard’s ability to knock down 3-pointers and be a secondary playmaker could make him a plug-and-play option for most teams, especially those in need of perimeter shooting off the bench. His game is comparable to a more 3-point oriented Chandler Parsons or a bigger Tim Hardaway Jr. Teams can run plays for Howard, or he can find action in the flow of the game — both of which are useful in the NBA.
With Howard out of the picture, Michigan will need someone with shooting prowess to step up to the plate this upcoming season. It continues to look to the NCAA transfer portal for such a player, but perhaps will be able to rely on former Vols guard Olivier Nkamkhoua, who was a late add this offseason.
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