Jett Howard talks about joining former Michigan stars Franz Wagner, Caleb Houstan on Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic have made it a habit of drafting Michigan players in recent years. Jett Howard became the latest former Wolverine to join the franchise Thursday, as the Magic selected him No. 11 overall in the 2023 draft.

Howard made sure to shout out the Michigan connection at his introductory press conference Friday. Asked who he models his game after, the guard first named Suns star Devin Booker before making note of two players who came to Orlando by way of Ann Arbor, Franz Wagner and Caleb Houstan.

“Devin Booker, I would probably say just watching his game and studying his game,” Howard said. “Then on the roster, I’d probably say Franz and Caleb Houstan. Michigan guys. But honestly, I’m open to learning from anybody. I’m just a sponge at this point.”

Jett Howard’s selection marks the third straight season that the Magic have drafted a Wolverines player. The streak began with Wagner at No. 8 overall in 2021, and then continued in 2022 when Orlando took Houstan in the second round.

Wagner has proven to be one of the more effective players on the Magic roster in his first two seasons. After earning first-team All-Rookie honors in 2021-22, he finished second on the team in scoring this past season with 18.6 points per game while shooting 36.1% from 3-point range. Houstan played a more limited role in his rookie season, averaging 15.9 minutes across 51 appearances.

Michigan has also had three players selected to other teams in the NBA Draft over the past three seasons, bringing the total to six. Howard’s college teammate, Kobe Bufkin, went four picks after him at No. 15 to the Atlanta Hawks. Howard later explained he believes that is a testament to what the Wolverines have built under coach Juwan Howard, his father and a former NBA All-Star.

“I don’t want to go on and on about Michigan, but I’d probably just say we’re high IQ dudes,” Jett Howard said. “We understand how to play the game and how to think the game. That’s just kudos to the program and everyone that put us through that and helped us understand that. We have a culture down there, so I feel like that is probably why we are in this organization today.”

A former four-star recruit, Jett Howard played just one season at Michigan before making the jump to the NBA. He finished second on the team with 14.2 points per game and was a member of the All-Big Ten Freshman team.

Now as he gears up for the NBA Summer League next month, he’ll hope to show why the Michigan to Magic pipeline is so strong.