Michigan basketball: Jett Howard makes NBA Draft decision
Michigan basketball freshman wing Jett Howard has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, according to ESPN analyst Jonathan Givony. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game this season, starting and playing in 29 games this season.
Howard is expected to be a first-round pick this summer.
“This was a great learning year for me,” Howard told ESPN. “It’s what I needed. It taught me how to play within a pro style offense and be effective, to get out of my comfort zone, and play with other good players.”
He continued: “I’ve had both ankles nagging for a while, so my dad and the coaching staff agreed with the specialist that it’s better for me to get to 100%,” Howard said. “I was only 50-60% for most of the Big Ten. My dad being the coach he is was looking out for me and wanted the best for my health. He understands that ankles are tricky. I met with a specialist after the Big Ten Tournament and they wanted me to rehab for four to five weeks. Thank God it doesn’t require surgery or anything like that.”
In the most recent mock draft from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, Howard goes No. 14 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
“Howard isn’t totally ready to compete at the next level because of how raw he is,” O’Connor writes. “But with size and scoring prowess, he presents upside that a team like the Thunder can afford to wait on. And if they end up whiffing, they have so many other picks and young talent that they can withstand the loss.
O’Connor sees plenty of positives with Howard’s game, headlined by his shot-making ability and how it could translate to the NBA.
He writes:
“Knockdown 3-point shooter with the potential to hit off movement. He’s also comfortable pulling up from midrange and loves using a floater.
“High-IQ wing who knows how to be a playmaker, not just a scorer. He thrives in NBA-style actions, a lot like Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks do for the Grizzlies. He’ll slingshot around screens or handoffs toward the middle of the floor, take a dribble to draw the defense, and then fire a pass to a big man rolling to the basket. It’s an action every pro offense runs, and he runs it to perfection because of his improvisational feel.
“He wants to be a good defender. Effort is never an issue; it’s just his positioning and awareness. But he hustles to recover to shooters, logs help blocks, and fights over screens. In overtime against Ohio, he made multiple clutch plays down the stretch to help Michigan get the win with on-ball stops and blocks.“
There are negatives that The Ringer sees in his game, though. Namely on the defensive end, which are issues that Michigan fans are well aware of:
“On the ball, struggles to contain faster perimeter scorers. He gets too flat-footed, which hurts his lateral quickness.
“Loses track of his man too often while off the ball since he ball watches. There are instances when he’ll completely leave his man open behind the arc because of confusion about who he’s supposed to match up against.“
