Michigan guard Jaelin Llewellyn participating in practice, being ‘closely monitored’
On the day it was announced that Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Juwan Howard will be out for the next four to six weeks after undergoing a heart procedure, CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein reported on the status of graduate guard Jaelin Llewellyn, who’s recovering from a torn ACL suffered last December. Rothstein posted on ‘X’ that Llewellyn has been cleared for all basketball-related activities. Llewellyn, however, responded to Rothstein’s post with three question marks. A Michigan team spokesman told TheWolverine.com Friday evening that Llewellyn is indeed participating in practice, but that it’s a “carefully-monitored process.”
Llewellyn was seen in photos of practice posted by Michigan basketball on social media.
Llewellyn underwent knee surgery in early January, roughly a month after he went down in a 73-69 loss to Kentucky in London. The Princeton transfer had played in just eight games for the Maize and Blue, after playing three seasons in the Ivy League. Llewellyn averaged 7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game for the Wolverines, shooting 42.9 percent on twos and 18.5 percent on threes (5-of-27).
The Michigan guard has dealt with significant injury in the past, having tore his Achilles in 2020. He didn’t miss any game time, with the Ivy League having canceled the 2020-21 season.
“Can’t believe I’m going into my second year [at Michigan]. I didn’t think I’d be in this position, but I’m very grateful to have another opportunity to play with these guys and in this program,” Llewellyn said on the ‘Defend The Block’ podcast with host Brian Boesch in May. “I just started getting back on the court in the past couple weeks. More and more athletic things than just leg raises and stuff I’ve been doing the past couple months since surgery, but it feels good to be moving more.”
Michigan sophomore Dug McDaniel started in Llewellyn’s place, and fared well with 8.6 points, 3.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per contest. The Maize and Blue, however, finished with an 18-16 overall record and 11-9 mark in the Big Ten, missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Howard is entering his fifth season, intent on turning things around, and a healthy Llewellyn could be a big piece in that cause.
The Wolverines also brought in Alabama transfer Nimari Burnett, who will contribute in the backcourt. Just this week, assistant Saddi Washington called Burnett a “two-way player, a guy with physicality, with athleticism, with talent.”
Michigan begins the 2023-24 season with a Nov. 3 exhibition game against D-II Northwood, before UNC Asheville comes to Ann Arbor for the Nov. 7 regular-season opener.
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