Big Ten coaches weigh in on Kobe Bufkin, Jett Howard as NBA Draft prospects
Michigan basketball has a pair of likely first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft in guard Kobe Bufkin and wing Jett Howard. The two have seen their stock stay steady over the last few weeks as the process ramps up.
On3’s Jamie Shaw caught up with coaches across the nation to weigh in on the Michigan prospects, starting with Bufkin. As of now, he has a great shot to be a lottery pick with the draft order now set.
Bufkin averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game this past season, shooting 54.6 percent on twos and 35.5 percent on threes. Here’s what Shaw was able to gather from a handful of Big Ten coaches on what they expect the Michigan guard to bring to the league:
“An aggressive driver. Good in the ball screen and dribble handoff actions, and we had to make him work. He needed to see bodies, and we forced him into tough twos. He is a better shooter than the numbers show and more explosive downhill. Really impressed with the jump he made this year after a relatively quiet freshman year.”
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“A dynamic guard with great length, capable of going on big scoring runs. Very good in transition and finishing. Want to make his touches hard and be physical with his drives. He cooked us and made some very tough shots. I would say you have to limit the looks from three and, be physical, try to support early in the gaps on penetration.”
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“He was a complete combo guard. He would have been an 18-19 point guy easily if Hunter (Dickinson) was not the first option and a lot of sets were run for Jett (Howard). I think he’s a lottery talent.”
Howard averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game in his lone year in the maize and blue. He shot 41.4 percent overall and 36.8 from three-point range. Howard’s 78 made three-pointers are tied for the ninth-most by a Michigan player in a single season.
“When it comes to Jett, great size, and he is a high-level shooter. Dangerous from anywhere on the floor, especially in transition, a Big Ten coach said. “You had to find him early. I thought his dribbling needed improvement, and I’m not overly confident that he can go create a spot off the bounce in space in the NBA yet. Didn’t look to create for others. He had the ultimate green light.”
Michigan has sent nine first-round picks to the NBA since 2013, good for most in the Big Ten. If current trends hold, it appears that margin will grow by two this summer. The 2023 NBA Draft is set for June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
