Newsstand: Jett Howard makes debut in NBA Summer League action
Michigan basketball alum and No. 11 overall pick Jett Howard made his NBA debut on Saturday for the Orlando Magic in an 89-78 loss to the Detroit Pistons in Summer League action in Las Vegas.
Howard scored eight points on 3-of-13 shooting (2-for-7 from three) with four rebounds, four assists, three steals and three turnovers.
He was joined in the starting lineup by two other former Michigan players in forward D.J. Wilson and wing Caleb Houstan. Wilson scored four points in 26 minutes, while Houstan scored 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. All four of his makes came from beyond the three-point line.
Howard averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game this season, starting and playing in 29 games this season. His one season at Michigan allowed him to play with his father, head coach Juwan Howard, and older brother, forward Jace Howard.
“This was a great learning year for me,” Howard told ESPN after declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft. “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.”
The Pistons have a pair of former Wolverines on their summer league roster in forward Isaiah Livers and point guard Zavier Simpson. Neither checked into game action on Saturday evening.
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Michigan quote of the day
“This is my favorite place to be. This place is my home. The family here, what we got going here, the culture here, everything that we’ve been building up to this point, that’s what I’m really excited for. We’re gonna grind, we’re gonna work, we’re gonna dominate. That’s just what we do.”
– Senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins on the first episode of ‘Michigan Made’
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