Michigan frosh Jett Howard wants to break the ‘shooter’ stereotype

Michigan freshman Jett Howard is one of several freshmen on the 2022-23 basketball team vying for playing time out of the gate. Though he’s proven himself as a shooter, the 6-7 wing wants people to know he’s much more than that … and he wants to prove it. 

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He did some of that in the Iverson Classic, his last taste of prep competition before heading to Michigan. He put the ball on the floor, showed an ability to get in the lane and finish. It was a long time coming, he told U-M play-by-play man Brian Boesch on the latest Defend the Block podcast.

His first year of high school he played with his brother, Jace (a Michigan junior) and elite preps like Vernon Carey and Scottie Barnes at West Hollywood  (Fla.) University School.

“Basically, I came into a situation thinking I’m just going to be a bench guy, give energy, learn in practice. Believe it or not, I started,” he said. “So … I earned it in practice, and just competing at a high level so early just got me so spoiled. I go back the next year my sophomore year, and now we’re playing Montverde Academy on a Monday night, or Sunrise Christian. My sophomore year, I kind of became the main option … became more of a facilitator. I kind of did it all …”

To the point that University coach Ron Oliver told us he was one of the most talented players he had ever coached. 

But then came a transfer to Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy the following season, and he had to go back to being just a piece. Elite preps like Jaden Bradley, Jarace Walker, and Tamar Bates were all options, and he was back to being more of a spot-up guy. 

“So now it’s like you have to get in where you fit in. I’m not labeled as a ‘five-star,’ even though I don’t buy into that stuff,” the Michigan frosh continued. “I’m not that type of player. I mean … I feel like that type of player, but on the rankings and stuff, I’m not. 

“But I think our coach wanted us to go through those guys, which is 100 percent the right thing to do at that time, because I didn’t prove anything. I had to figure out how to fit in. I was shooting, defending here and there, sprinkling a little bit of playmaking my junior year. That’s how I’d stay on the floor.”

But the following year, his coaches started leaning on him a bit more to make plays. He started going back to being more aggressive like he was his second year at University school, and it showed. He rose to No. 39 nationally in the On3.com rankings, and by the end of the year, some thought he should be ranked even higher. 

He’s ready to show he has even more in his arsenal. 

“I feel like there’s a lot to my game people couldn’t see because I’m labeled as a quote unquote shooter,” he said. “I just want to break that stereotype because that personally is not what I am. Yes, I can shoot, but that’s not ultimately my game.”

There are two areas in particular in which he’s trying to improve before the season starts, he added. 

“Defense. That’s definitely a big one,” he said. “Just understating what they want, all the rotations, where to be at certain times. Then I’ll take that leap. I feel as a one-on-one defender, I’m pretty good. I didn’t get to display that much, but I feel like I’m really good one-on one, and I’ll take that leap …

“Then, my ballhandling. I work on that a lot, and I feel like people haven’t really gotten a chance to see how good I am as a ballhandler. I feel like my passing ability is really good. I’ll try to get in the lane and create for others.”

He’ll get his shot, especially with Michigan wing Caleb Houstan having moved on to the NBA after one year. But he understands well nothing will be handed to him, and he’ll have to prove himself, even to his coach/father Juwan Howard. 

He wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“I feel like I went through this process already in a way,” he said. “Even though it was not at Michigan, feel like I already went through this process with other high level guys competing for that spot [in high school].”
He came through smelling like a rose then, and he plans to do it again while competing for championships at Michigan.