Youssef Khayat shares areas he grew during first season at Michigan

Michigan Wolverines small forward Youssef Khayat is entering his second season in the program. As he prepares for year number two, Khayat recently took a moment while a guest on Michigans’ Defend the Block Podcast to share the areas he feels he’s grown the most in during his first season.

“I think I’ve improved tremendously in all aspects,” said Khayat. “Like when I see myself a year ago from where I am right now, I’ve made a lot of tremendous strides. Basketball wise, mentally wise being more strong, more confident, and just being able to do more on the court. When I came first came, I think I was a little bit weak, you know, just strength-wise. I think I had a lot of pounds to gain and a lot of lot of strength.

I think just being more strong, working with Sandman helped a lot, you know, because I missed the summer, unfortunately. So I wasn’t strong enough. Coming into the season, but as the season went through, I became more strong and put on way more pounds.”

With his late arrival to Michigan, Khayat appeared in just nine games for the Wolverines. During those nine games, he would average just 6.2 minutes per game, scoring 1.3 points on 33 percent shooting from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. Arguably the Lebanon native’s best game of the season came during the NIT tournament. In Michigan’s second-round loss to Vanderbilt 66-65, Khayat played 17 minutes and finished the game going one of two from beyond the arc for three points with three rebounds and one assist.

Khayat is taking ‘incredible pride’ in working to turn fortunes around

The 6-foot-9, 175-pounder didn’t score in a Michigan home game this season, but he believes his time is coming. And he appreciates the fan base, which has welcomed him in with open arms.

“I was disappointed in that. It’ll come, for sure. I only scored on the road,” Khayat said. “I couldn’t experience scoring here, but playing here in front of these fans is something nice.

“We have fans that are really die-hard fans. You don’t see that at other programs. Every win counts, every loss counts, every action counts. I think that’s nice, just being in an atmosphere that embraces the team, embraces the culture and just wants us to win. That’s something amazing. You see other programs, they don’t have the support system. I think next year it’ll be great, and I think the fans will love us.”

Michigan missed the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 2015, a brutal disappointment after the team began the year ranked in the Associated Press top 25.

On3’s Clayton Sayfie contributed to this article