Juwan Howard offers injury update on Jett Howard

Michigan star freshman guard Jett Howard did play in the Wolverines’ NIT opener against Toledo with an ankle injury. Michigan won the game, 90-80, despite Howard’s absence.

After the game, head coach Juwan Howard provided an update on Howard missing out on the game.

“He went and saw a foot ankle specialist. As of right now we’re gonna look at this thing day to day. Let him heal and then we’ll see. We’ll go from there but he wanted to be out there for his teammates today,” Howard said.

Jett Howard has dealt with injuries throughout his first year in Ann Arbor, although none of them have been major. He has played in 29 games, averaging 14.2 points on 41.4% shooting.

The Wolverines had one of their best offensive outputs of the season Tuesday against the Rockets. Kobe Bufkin led the way with 23 points while Joey Baker added 21 points, Hunter Dickinson had 19 and nine rebounds and Dug McDaniel had 16 points of his own.

“Jett has been injured all season long for us, unfortunately,” Howard said. “But Jett, he’s a competitor and I’ve told you guys his all season. Dating back to his first injury that he had, Virginia game and rushed back played in in London versus Kentucky. I felt that he should not played but he was going to make sure that he stepped out on that floor and be there for his teammates. Nowadays you hear about guys taking time off. I don’t know what that is. Jett has been a part of the Howard DNA. He knows that he has a passion for the game of basketball. Every time since he was younger, no matter if he got injured he always picked himself up and continued to keep competing.”

Juwan Howard explains why Michigan elected to play in the NIT

The decision to play in the NIT became a storyline for Michigan in part because of North Carolina‘s decision not to partake in the historic postseason tournament.

But Juwan Howard said the NIT provides a great opportunity for his team to grow.

“I look at it like this, we were a team that brought the basketball to a park,” Howard said. “And the other two teams, and I mean like the five guys, there was one team that had five, another team had five, and Michigan we had our five but we brought the basketball. The other two teams didn’t have their basketball, we brought the basketball and so it’s time to play.”

The Wolverines have won three NIT titles in their history in 1984, 1997 and 2004.

“So what we gonna do? We’re gonna take our basketball and go home because they didn’t pick us in the first game? Because the other five were allowed to play?” Howard said. “So we’re not gonna cry over spilled milk, we’re not gonna act like we’re entitled, we’re not gonna act like it’s beneath us. Our season has been a season built on adversity, unfortunately injuries, we have a young team that’s growing in so many areas and we got chosen for the NIT.”