Michigan basketball: Some of the best storylines from Media Day

Michigan held its basketball media day Friday, head coach Juwan Howard’s fourth. The former Fab Fiver was in great spirits, in part because it’s the eve of the Michigan – Penn State football game. 

For those who don’t know, Howard is a huge Michigan football fan. He said he’d be there screaming “defense!” — “that’s all I know,” he quipped with a smile — and rooting for the Wolverines. His only lament … that he didn’t have a maize coat for the maize out. 

RELATED: Jaelin Llewellyn has already impressed his Michigan teammates, coaches

RELATED: Michigan basketball recruiting: Papa Kante on campus, more

“I’m going to have to layer up, I guess,” he said, pointing to his maize hoodie. 

His son, Michigan freshman wing Jett Howard, is starting to get into Michigan football, too, and he’s loving life on campus. But he’s nothing like his older brother, junior wing Jace. Jett’s eyes opened wide when asked about his brother’s affinity for the football team. 

“He’s just like my dad, maybe even more,” he said. Told his brother was going into detail about the two teams tomorrow, he said, “he’ll probably break it down for you, too.”

Howard and Howard (Jett and Jace) have really been going at each other on the court, and assistant Saddi Washington said he encourages it, especially when there might be a lull in practice. 

“I might stir the pot,” he said with a wry grin.

And do they ever get after it. Frosh forward Gregg Glenn, a longtime friend of the Howard family, said he’s seen it forever, so it’s nothing new but it gets “intense,” he said. 

“He knows all my moves!” Jett Howard said when asked how hard it was to score on his brother. 

But there’s no question these guys are great teammates and fits. Juwan Howard said he knew he made the right choices for captain (Jace Howard, Terrance Williams, Hunter Dickinson) when Jett came up to him during a down time and told him just how good Jace was in that role.

And we agree. He’s mature beyond his years, and he’ll provide a spark of energy at times off the bench this year. 

Michigan newcomers fitting in perfectly 

One of the eye-opening comments from Big Ten Media Day Wednesday — junior center Hunter Dickinson talking about the chemistry. 

“Last year, I think people on the team would say that we had more talent than this year, from a raw talent perspective,” he said. “But I think this year the pieces fit a lot better. Don’t get me wrong — we still have a lot of talent. Jett Howard … definitely an NBA player. Jaelin [Llewellyn] and Joey [Baker] will be high-impact players.

“We brought in a lot of talent, but I think it fits a lot better, and guys play for each other a lot more this year. It will be a lot more successful season for us.”

Dickinson had one big goal when he decided to return, Juwan Howard said — to win a national championship. He thinks he can do it with this group, and that starts with chemistry. 

“There were some guys … we didn’t do as much with off the court last year,” sophomore Kobe Bufkin said. “This year, we are all so tight.” 

You could sense it, too. These guys really like each other, and while they have NBA aspirations, first and foremost they want to win at Michigan. 

Bufkin could help with a big year. Howard said he had high expectations for a breakout season for the sophomore, noting he’s come along well and had some really good practices in the early going. He’s shooting the ball a lot better, and that’s something Washington said he expected to see.

“We hope so, right?” he said. “We had a pro day not long ago and these guys lit it up. But it’s one thing to do it in practice, another to do it when the lights are on and the popcorn is popping.”

Baker is a great shooter, he added.

Llewellyn, who is extremely impressive to talk to, shot the ball very well on the European trip, his teammates said, and has been a leader. He talked of watching Nik Stauskas and Iggy Brazdeikis (his former AAU teammate), also Ontario (Canada) natives, growing up. 

Michigan didn’t recruit him much out of high school, but he’s happy to be here now. 

We asked Washington about Dug McDaniel, too, given all of Juwan Howard’s positive remarks about him. He acknowledged that yes, he has some Zavier Simpson in him (our question) — a smaller guy with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. He’ll have to prove that on the defensive end, but it’s clear they think he can play … and boy, has his shot improved. 

In practice today, he was draining them with regularity. 

Baker, too, has been shooting the ball really well. Washington said they want to see the kid they recruited out of high school (he initially went to Duke), and they’ve told him as much.

“Sometimes it takes a change of scenery,” Washington said, noting Baker could be outstanding if he believes in himself. And he thinks he will. 

Other notes: 

• Sophomore Will Tschetter is up to 240 pounds, 20 pounds heavier than when he arrived. He’s also shooting the ball better than he ever has, he said. 

The key to playing more this year?

“They told me to slow down out there,” Tschetter said. “Take my time. Don’t rush things.”

We believe he’ll have a role at some point.

• Oregon coach Dana Altman said recently Michigan “owes” his team a home game. Howard disagreed. 

“I was looking through the contract, and we didn’t see that,” he said, noting they were booked this year and next.

He added that “owed” is a strong word. 

“Owed? I owe my wife a kiss when I go home tonight,” the Michigan coach said with a grin.