Juwan Howard labels Jaelin Llewellyn as questionable before Minnesota game

Jaelin Llewellyn’s time at Michigan has been plagued by injury. Now, ahead of his next opportunity to take the floor tonight, Juwan Howard has provided the latest on the graduate guard.

Howard updated Llewellyn’s status in a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Wolverine’s matchup with Minnesota tonight. After coming back this season from tearing his ACL last year, Llewellyn missed their last game due to a possible concussion according to Howard.

“Yeah, so, you know, Jaelin’s health? The last game was more of a concussion protocol,” said Howard. “In the Florida game? And I don’t want to misquote Chris but Chris Williams can give you that information better than I can. I know it’s truly a concussion protocol. Then, coming off the break, he still had been in concussion protocol for a few days.”

“That, as we all know, is a very delicate injury where you have to, of course, take your time with that and be respectful of a player’s health,” said Howard.

Holding Llewellyn out against McNeese was a precaution for his own safety according to the protocol. That, according to Howard, is always going to be his approach in those kinds of scenarios.

“I’m always going to be that guy. Never going to force a guy, when they’re not healthy or not ready to go, to go out there on the floor and play,” Howard said. “I’m always the type of guy and coach that wants our guys to be healthy when they feel 100% that they can go out there, compete, and help their teammates.”

Llewellyn has appeared in a dozen games over his season and a half in Ann Arbor.

In eight starts last year, Llewellyn averaged seven points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. That was before he then tore the ACL last December against Kentucky in London.

In his return a year later, Llewellyn has appeared in four games over the team’s last six. He has scored 11 total points in those appearances in 9.5 minutes a game off the bench.

With the next game on the schedule coming tonight against the Golden Gophers, Llewellyn is now a question mark for Michigan’s lineup. While he did some work the past few days, Howard says it’ll all depend on how he is today heading into the conference contest.

“Now, leading up to this game, Jaelin is questionable – for sure,” said Howard. “He had a non-contact practice, which was pretty good. Then he practiced today.”

“We’ll see how he responds tomorrow. That’s why I say it’s questionable,” said Howard.